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I honestly don't understand the point you are making. Would you mind elaborating? Thanks.
by petegrif 15y ago
I honestly don't understand the point you are making. Would you mind elaborating? Thanks.
- btilly 15y agoThere is a well-known patent strategy where you patent a technology, wait for other people to start using it, and then proceed to sue them for large amounts of money. From the point of view of other companies these are hidden traps that could be anywhere. You're just doing business as usual, solving problems, and bam, you're told that you weren't allowed to think of obvious idea X because someone has a patent, pay up $10 million dollars. (Actual dollar amount varies widely.) The really evil ones patent stuff, get their patented ideas into standards, wait until everyone is following the standard, then start filing lawsuits. Past bad experiences with this are why standards organizations usually require that participants license any relevant patents that are needed to implement the standards.
- sireat 15y agoAlso known as: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_patent http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_patent Supposedly harder to pull off these days, but still happens. Any examples of the evil strategy, as in patented stuff getting into standards?
- btilly 15y agohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambus#Lawsuits http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambus#Lawsuits is the first that comes to mind.
- kmfrk 15y ago> you're told that you weren't allowed to think of obvious idea X because someone has a patent, pay up $10 million dollars. (Actual dollar amount varies widely.) And that's not counting the torturous legal fees, if you wish to try your luck at court in a case that is likely to drag on for eons.