Patent - license to sue, plus....
Posted by
Mark Fraser
on 2001-01-25 19:17:27 UTC
When I dipped my toes in those waters, I was told that the ultimate
decision on the validity of a high tech patent (and hence, its value to
you) will
be made by an judge having an arts degree. I was also told that while
the cost
of being granted a patent might be (as someone else posted) $15K, the
cost
of defending it in court (whether you invite the infringer, or someone
else
invites you) will be 20 to 100 times that amount.
But it *can* be interesting... /mark
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 13:14:16 -0000
From: ballendo@...
Subject: Re: O/T Patent applications
Hans,
Keep in mind that a patent is an EXPENSIVE "license to sue" which
takes awhile (at least) to get. AND... it REQUIRES you to
tell "everyone" HOW you're doing it! (whatever IT is).
Patents CAN be a good thing, but don't make the common mistake of
thinking they are some kind of protection. They are, as I said, a
license or right to sue somebody for using your idea before you have
had time to exploit it yourself...
If you don't have money to defend it, or a pretty good idea of WHO
DOES, and are SURE they will help YOU, your patent can nearly always
be "broken". Or "tied up in litigation" for so long it becomes an
albatross around your neck.
You may be better off with "trade secret" protection. Or just moving
quickly in the marketplace, and EXPECTING your "published"
designs/ideas to be stolen, knowing they can't steal what they don't
know about yet...
Ballendo
decision on the validity of a high tech patent (and hence, its value to
you) will
be made by an judge having an arts degree. I was also told that while
the cost
of being granted a patent might be (as someone else posted) $15K, the
cost
of defending it in court (whether you invite the infringer, or someone
else
invites you) will be 20 to 100 times that amount.
But it *can* be interesting... /mark
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 13:14:16 -0000
From: ballendo@...
Subject: Re: O/T Patent applications
Hans,
Keep in mind that a patent is an EXPENSIVE "license to sue" which
takes awhile (at least) to get. AND... it REQUIRES you to
tell "everyone" HOW you're doing it! (whatever IT is).
Patents CAN be a good thing, but don't make the common mistake of
thinking they are some kind of protection. They are, as I said, a
license or right to sue somebody for using your idea before you have
had time to exploit it yourself...
If you don't have money to defend it, or a pretty good idea of WHO
DOES, and are SURE they will help YOU, your patent can nearly always
be "broken". Or "tied up in litigation" for so long it becomes an
albatross around your neck.
You may be better off with "trade secret" protection. Or just moving
quickly in the marketplace, and EXPECTING your "published"
designs/ideas to be stolen, knowing they can't steal what they don't
know about yet...
Ballendo
> Any of you guys patented something on your own? Possibly machinetool or
> CAM related?
> Thanks.