How did Boeing get this patent? (Score 1)

For some reason, I keep thinking that this patent may have come from a result of work done by Boeing for the US Government, and by extension, the people of the united states, paid for by the people of the united state, and by some extension, should therefore be in the public domain.

This is an issue I have with all government contracting. Not with the contracting itself. But rather, the people at large keep getting sold on the concept of 'trickle down' markets that result from all this high powered, high dollar money spent on these gigantic projects.

The US government, by extension 'the people' decide they want something done, like nifty stuff in space. Bids go out, the people pay for the work to be done, the patents resulting should go to the people. If Boeing wants to use these patents, they should pay a license to the people, as should anyone else. If that isn't fair, then the patent should go into the public domain, it was, after all, paid for by the public.

Yeah, certainly this position is arguable. No, I'm not certain this line of thought is correct, it's just an impression. Rebuttals welcomed.