In 2009, Melissa developed a hydrogen powered engine for a car while working in her garage in her spare time. Melissa installed
the engine in a small car that she has been driving around town. In 2012, engineers working for Ford Motor Co. independently developed an identical hydrogen powered engine. After completing tests on the engine for two years, Ford filed a patent for the engine on March 1, 2014. On March 2, 2014, Melissa also filed for a patent for her engine. Assuming the engine satisfies all of the requirements for a patent, who is entitled to the patent?
It's true that Melissa was the first person to develop a hydrogen powered engine for a car. The efforts of engineers from Ford Motor Co. were also independent and they also developed a similar engine as Melissa. Now when it comes to records of filing patent, Ford Motor was the first and as per the rules of patenting, the first person or organization to file patent is entitled to the patent. Therefore, Ford deserves the patent.
