Patent Blahs (Help please)

Factual Questions
1

The question is can a computer Algorithm/Scheme be patented?

One of the vast number of projects im working on has to do with a new computer AI scheme. It is kinda like a combo of a neural net and a GA, with some Fuzzy Logic thrown in for spite…It also has alot of co-random (random but based on an algorithm) aspects. Its closer to the way a human neuron works, but Im afraid to go into details b/c im really paranoid and I dont want anyone else to steal my idea.

The question is, if I make this and it works, is there anyway I can patent it?

Patents usually deal with physical objects or processes, but computer algorithms have been patented before…well kinda…actually they werefile formats…im citing the Gif file format patented by CompuServe (I think) and the Mpeg, Mp2, Mp3, and Mp4 formats patented by…some french guys…

Does anyone know if the people that inveted the A, A+, and A* pathfinding algorithms patented them?

Any lawyers out there?
-Blah

2

Not a lawyer, but RSA is an algorithm that is patented. Well, not “RSA” itself, but the algorithms that comprise RSA are patented.

I think the same goes for most all of those other competing commercial cryptography algorithms as well.

3

Algorithms as an abstract idea can not be patented, but if they are used in a “useful” way, they can be patented.

You should talk to a patent attorney. You can give the details and he or she will be able to give you a better idea of whether or not you can get a patent.