Can a granted patent be deeded to the public?

Question

Please note, I'm not speaking in the context of a land patent, I just could not think of a better word than deed.

Let's say that:

1. I have a concrete implementation of something that can be patented
2. I have the financial and legal resources to likely obtain said patent
3. I wish to grant the public at large an exclusive royalty free license to my patent
4. I could not otherwise (with certainty) just establish prior art by having my concept published in respected journals and other common venues

Can I simply deed the patent to the public? If not, how could I accomplish my goal?

While software is my primary focus and occupation, I'm really interested to know how to accomplish this with any given patent, or if it's even possible.

Answer 1

Yes, it's called a statutory disclaimer:

A patentee owning the whole or any sectional interest in a patent may disclaim any complete claim or claims in a patent. In like manner any patentee may disclaim or dedicate to the public the entire term, or any terminal part of the term, of the patent granted.

Answer 2

Maybe http://www.openinventionnetwork.com/ could help you with that ?

From their website:

Open Invention Network® is refining the intellectual property model so that important patents are openly shared in a collaborative environment. Patents owned by Open Invention Network® are available royalty-free to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux System. This enables companies to make significant corporate and capital expenditure investments in Linux — helping to fuel economic growth.

Answer 3

If you haven't yet filed a patent application, the most cost-effective way to accomplish your goal is a defensive publication. Very important: Make sure that you disclose enough information so that people of ordinary skill in the field of invention to which your invention pertains can make and use the invention without having to engage in an unreasonable amount of additional development work.

Answer 4

Jorge is dealing the straight goods! (meaning he is very correct - for those of you who do not speak fluent hipster [yet.]) Defensive publication is fast and cheap and gives the idea broad "protection" in your inverted sense of protection from privatization via patent. It will have worldwide impact no matter where you publish as long as it is a public pronouncement. Making plain how it is done is vital and you might also, in the disclosure, list any alternatives you can think of to broaden the scope of what you are disclosing.... What is it? You get to be one of the rare participants in inventor circles who can just blab all they want, so go for it! (however...)

A thing to think about: Assuming it is useful, have you vigorously assured yourself it is novel? If you don't do some diligence on that front, you risk inviting people to practice an invention not your own. If they infringe, you are not likely to get in trouble (statement of odds and an opinion so worth $.02 MAX) BUT you want to be a help to the users of your invention right?

So the service of making sure it is yours to give away could mean: 1) more research into the prior art and/or 2) actually obtaining the patent and sharing it (per above)

If you have a budget for the patent and have done the prior art search maybe it is time to spend a part of that budget with an attorney to figure out the best and most money/time efficient method of committing it to the public good. One of the things that makes it hard to prescribe a particular position is that different fields of invention behave differently. Some are very complexly staked out and full of ferocious litigants. Others less so and so on. Attorneys don't bite. Find one and layout what you want. Good luck