How do patents, copyrights, and trademarks cover routines?
If a routine uses a specialized device/method for that routine, then chances are the device/method is patented. In the United States a “device” is not patented unless you apply for a patent and spend a couple $1000 and wait a year or two for the Patent Office to issue you one. It then assigns it a number and your full description of the device becomes public knowledge. The complete description is available at many libraries and on the internet at the IBM(*not* International Brotherhood of Magicians) site and probably at the US Patent site. If your novel use is not described in the patent such that a person knowledgeable in the field cannot understand it then it isn’t protected by the patent. You cannot hide the patent number because until the patent holder makes known publicly the existence of the patent others may assume it is not a patented device and act accordingly. On the other hand, if you are talking a design patent then only the specific design is protected. Making relatively m
