Link: https://old.reddit.com/r/opensource/comments/1ulm3r1/want_to_open_source_but_fear_of_patent/

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The original was posted on /r/opensource by /u/groover75 on 2026-07-02 15:54:00+00:00.

I have developed an algorithm that I want to put into my open source project. However there is a commercial company in Australia that has the same type of algorithm (I don't know the details, but produces similar results) and they state "Patent Pending". I am in the US. Their AU provisional patent lapsed and I cannot find anything at the USPTO. I have searched for general terms, company name, inventor name, etc. However this has made me quite nervous of publishing my code. I am thinking of keeping that part of my application closed source and publishing a document describing my algorithm on my website. That way if they suddenly produce something I can pull the document. If I make the code freely available I lose control of copies, etc. Any thoughts on this? Also I emailed the company and they refused to give me a patent number. Thanks.