Winter Woman
Well-Known Member
Here's a link to yesterday's article.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323623304579054622258666900.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323623304579054622258666900.html
Will this patent pass? Is this illegal?
- Thread starter j.p.s.w
- Start date
JohnnyGreenfingers
Well-Known Member
And changed the world, and died penniless.
Winter Woman
Well-Known Member
Yes, the people with big money always seem to win. That being said there are good people with money too, we just don't hear about them.
Dboi87
Well-Known Member
Look into patent trolling.
In a nutshell Its where they set up broad general patents that can be used against other companies hoping that they settle it for a cash sum.
One was used against an old company I used to work for where the patent was for fax networks. They sent threats to every company that used some sort of fax network in their system. They send out threats to thousands of companies knowing most will settle for the thousand dollar settlement option to avoid long and costly court action. However most times in court thepatent will be dismissed. Problem is going to court may cost a small company with no in house law team more than just paying up.
Its a number game really. Say they send out 1000 threats and maybe only 250 settle... that's a quarter million for just a simple weak patent and a couple reams of copy paper for threatening letters...
In a nutshell Its where they set up broad general patents that can be used against other companies hoping that they settle it for a cash sum.
One was used against an old company I used to work for where the patent was for fax networks. They sent threats to every company that used some sort of fax network in their system. They send out threats to thousands of companies knowing most will settle for the thousand dollar settlement option to avoid long and costly court action. However most times in court thepatent will be dismissed. Problem is going to court may cost a small company with no in house law team more than just paying up.
Its a number game really. Say they send out 1000 threats and maybe only 250 settle... that's a quarter million for just a simple weak patent and a couple reams of copy paper for threatening letters...