Tallplumbers "are we there yet" thread, page-46

Just been thinking about this... i am not sure it is necessarily a new technology, but perhaps a better solution to existing? I.e. my understanding of patents is that they are not so much a specific solution but more a broad method/concept for applying tech to achieve a similarly broad outcome. The more vague/far reaching the better the protection/block the patent provides. So a patent could be granted years before a suitable solution is engineered and brought to market. Sometimes lodged in the hope to simply keep others out, or on the chance someone else develops a solution and the patent holder can claim the invention and negotiate a share of profits. It maybe HP already had the patent, but needed nuheara's know how to actually bring a product to market.