Subject: Re: Invisible gold :)
From: Nathan <egold-list-PyiUHXv88EBWk0Htik3J/w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 10:23:52 -0800
Of course, this might be a moot point, since it's a bit of a known trick
to never actually allow a patent to be finalised, but rather keep it
"patent pending", because your idea is still protected, but you can keep
changing and adding to your patent claims as you wish (apparently some
people/companies do this to help squash potential competitors).
*It has nothing to do with "squashing" potential competitors. It's a
protection from giving such competition the opportunity to reverse
engineer the invention, the development of which may have cost you
hundreds or thousands...or even millions...of dollars. Thus the
competition is provided the key to developing something "similar,"
but not exactly the same, while tremendously reducing their cost to
market. (China is famous for this and they really don't give a damn
about lawsuits. You'd have to bring the suit in China, with all the
immense costs and hostile courts.) Competitors are welcome to either
begin from scratch or pay the inventor a royalty. Seems fair.
Eric
