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Given your example of cell phones, there's a lot more costs to bringing a new type of cell phone to market than the ~$50k on patent searches. Since we're talki
by M8R-fhlcjm 14y ago
Given your example of cell phones, there's a lot more costs to bringing a new type of cell phone to market than the ~$50k on patent searches.
Since we're talking about driving innovation, someone who genuinely advances the technology is able to gain some protection on their investment in R&D by applying for (and hopefully obtaining) a patent(s).
If all you're doing is bringing another same-old cell phone to market then the question is what benefits are you bringing - or rather, does society benefit more from your same-cellphone than the someone who is innovating and introducing something new and novel.
- glesica 14y agoBut even an innovative cell phone is covered by thousands of existing patents, many of them unknown until someone sues. That's the problem. There is no such thing as "pure" innovation. All new technology somehow involves older technology, and in many cases it isn't clear which existing patents cover a particular device or product so the only thing to do is wait to be sued or not release your new (an innovative) product at all.