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| Photo by Brett Jordan via Flicker |
Many (most?) technology patents describe individual features of an entire system, or ecology of innovation. For example, consider a patent to recognize phone numbers in emails and to launch a dialer when the number is selected. This patent by itself is not that interesting. It is only when the invention is embedded in a smartphone or other system that includes email and telephone calling that there is utility to this patent. In contrast, consider a patent for a novel drug. This patent covers the drug in its entirety and no other inventions are required to produce the drug.
