3 ms·

We are a relatively new company that has technology that is patent pending. The patent has taken a bit of time and may have held us back some. On the other hand

We are a relatively new company that has technology that is patent pending. The patent has taken a bit of time and may have held us back some. On the other hand, we do have enabling technology and it seems like prior art doesn't hold up too well in this broken patent system. So, being taken down by someone using our own technology would be a horrible feeling. In the end, I guess only time will tell if our worries were founded.

GuiA 13y ago
Why did you feel the need to patent your technology?
- ericHosick 13y ago
  For a lot of different reasons: most of them probably not that good. To be able to work within the "system". That is, to stop someone from patenting prior art (our technology being only prior art if we didn't patent it) and use that against us. I've personally known of people who have done things like this (find a new usage for an existing very specific technology, patent it and notify the creators of the technology). To give us the option to open source the technology and not have problems within the (broken) system: specifically intellectual property (Java with Sun Microsystems and Microsoft come to mind though that was resolved through Trademarks). I was raised in the USA and, at the time we started the patent process, it "felt" like the thing we were supposed to do. I've invested a lot in R&D and somehow felt that I needed to protect that investment. It took four years to figure out all the kinks in the technology.
  - dnautics 13y ago
    For number one, and number two, the "Statutory Invention Registration" should do.
    - prutschman 13y ago
      It looks as though Statutory Invention Registrations were eliminated by "America Invents Act." http://www.aiarulemaking.com/rulemaking-topics/group-3/repeal-statutory-invention-registration.php http://www.aiarulemaking.com/rulemaking-topics/group-3/repea...
      - dnautics 13y ago
        AGH. I was going to use this to make IP-free drugs.

GuiA 13y ago

Why did you feel the need to patent your technology?

ericHosick 13y ago
For a lot of different reasons: most of them probably not that good. To be able to work within the "system". That is, to stop someone from patenting prior art (our technology being only prior art if we didn't patent it) and use that against us. I've personally known of people who have done things like this (find a new usage for an existing very specific technology, patent it and notify the creators of the technology). To give us the option to open source the technology and not have problems within the (broken) system: specifically intellectual property (Java with Sun Microsystems and Microsoft come to mind though that was resolved through Trademarks). I was raised in the USA and, at the time we started the patent process, it "felt" like the thing we were supposed to do. I've invested a lot in R&D and somehow felt that I needed to protect that investment. It took four years to figure out all the kinks in the technology.
- dnautics 13y ago
  For number one, and number two, the "Statutory Invention Registration" should do.
  - prutschman 13y ago
    It looks as though Statutory Invention Registrations were eliminated by "America Invents Act." http://www.aiarulemaking.com/rulemaking-topics/group-3/repeal-statutory-invention-registration.php http://www.aiarulemaking.com/rulemaking-topics/group-3/repea...
    - dnautics 13y ago
      AGH. I was going to use this to make IP-free drugs.