[unishark]

This is prophetic patents, another unwanted side effect of the system. I'd say it's the norm in every niche nowadays.

As soon as any technological idea becomes well-known, say some research idea getting hyped in the media (e.g., quantum, VR, some new kind of laser, 3D displays, etc.), then people everywhere run out and patent all possible imagined ideas of how this new tool might be used to make products.