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Comment by merqurio | Hacker News Reader

Similar ideas are already patented [1]. I appreciate the simplicity of her approach, but I'm not sure if she would be able to create a business. I hope her the best.

[1]: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20090142275A1/en?q=Infec...

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> Although the above-referenced indicators are clas sified as solvatochromic, it should be understood that the present invention is not necessarily limited to any particular mechanism for the color change of the indicator. Even when a solvatochromic indicator is employed, other mechanisms may actually be wholly or partially responsible for the color change of the indicator. For example, acid-base or proton donation reactions between the indicator and microbe may result in the color change. As an example, highly organized acid moieties on bacteria cell walls may protonate certain indicators, resulting in a loss of color.

Patents are difficult to defend in that it has to specifically mention the new idea that you are trying to patent and not just refer to the general idea. However the statement above might be sufficiently close?

On the other hand, I just noticed its status as "Abandoned."

Courts are very reticent to overturn a patent even if it is completely bogus. There are many of these bogus patents, the worst has to be a guy who patented "driving LEDs via their I2C interface" which is on par with patenting driving a car.

Wow I was skeptical before I clicked the link but that's not even similar. That's the exact same thing.

The general idea is obvious: a (literal) litmus test.

The details are what make it work, including availability of cheap test materials.

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