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This is unfortunately more common than many people think. I worked for a startup that had gone through something similar, though perhaps not as egregious. The p
by throwawaykf05 12y ago
This is unfortunately more common than many people think. I worked for a startup that had gone through something similar, though perhaps not as egregious. The patents were the only thing that (barely) saved it.
As much as HN likes to hate on patents, this is a huge reason why startups should file some if you have some technology worth protecting. Most probably they won't be enough to save you anyway, but it may be better than having no recourse at all.
- LargeCompanies 12y agoYeah we filed our provisional 30 minutes prior to this meeting. It is now a patent-pending.
- analog31 12y agoOn a cautionary note, and while I'm not a lawyer... Any patent is at risk of invalidation, and disputes become a battle of resources. At the same time, the provisional does at least help establish your freedom to use your own invention.
- Perdition 12y agoThey don't even need to invalidate the patent, they can just run the lawsuit out for decades and most likely get the patent holder to settle for a pittance.