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i have a question for you.
this came up in a hypothetical in our textbook. the hypothetical is a trade secret hypothetical, but it has a little patent question tacked on at the end.
facts: guy owns a bakery with a proprietary recipe for chocolate chip cookies. the recipe substitutes many common ingredients for not-so-common ones and then has a special cooking formula that involves cooking the cookie at various temperatures for various times. the result is a cookie that is hard on the outside, soft on the inside, and has 200 less calories than other commonly chocolate chip cookies on the market. nobody else in the world has this recipe.
question: is the recipe eligible for patent protection?
i suppose they could seek protection as a new 'process' or perhaps a new 'composition of matter?' i do not know if a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies could be considered 'useful.' finally, i don't really see recipes as innovation in the 'technical arts,' not to offend anyone who is into cooking.
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