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I am in the process of writing a draft for my provisional patent. I have spent a great deal of time reading the books and watching videos on youtube plus some patenting courses. One of the tutors said that you should provide all the small details about the projects you want to patent. Though, in my case that means I will have disclose how my project works exactly. This will result in a theft of the idea and its implementation. What is the best approach to patent my app without disclosing so much information about it. Can I describe it ambiguously. Should I keep the aspect of the implementation out and stick to providing as much information about the idea itself.

Thank you.

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  • "This will result in a theft of the idea and its implementation." That's not quite a fair interpretation. The purpose of the patent system is that you give the public the information to be able to build your invention in return for a 20 year monopoly.
    – Maca
    Feb 4, 2017 at 1:59

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There is a very clear answer to that in patent law. A person skilled in the art has to be able to construct/implement the invention from the description only.

The interpretation is not as easy:

An example I learned from was a breaking system for cars that didn't describe how the force was physically applied to the wheels (which has obvious implementations) and was ultimately revoked (though in Germany I think).

You don't have to include source code, but the algorithms. So yes, a good patent application makes your invention stealable. That's the idea behind patents, you share your solution and get protection in return, allowing technological advance.

There is no patent for the idea or the problem, only for the solution.

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  • I agree, but I think reasonable experimentation beyond the plain description is also allowable (not that it changes any of the reasoning in your answer).
    – Maca
    Feb 4, 2017 at 2:36
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    Everything's allowable, not everything adds value and there are many mistakes that are hard to see and easily take value away from a patent.
    – user18033
    Feb 4, 2017 at 10:01

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