I have some inventions I've been working on for a long time. The product part is easy - the launch and being successful is brutal. Everyone here is assuming people play fair, and will respect a patent. Ha.
In the real world, ideas are ripped off as soon as they become known. It's a game of "catch me if you can" which takes a lot of time and a lot of money - and the bandits know that. That's why a lot of products don't have a patent. A patent is a PERMIT to sue someone. Suing them is an adventure that can take all your time AND all your money. Want to play that game? If you do get a judgment, good luck in getting money. It's not like suing Wal-Mart. It's like suing Galaxy Worldwide Enterprises - that was started in a garage or boiler room - and can disappear in a moment - with all their money also disappearing with them.
I am leaning HEAVILY towards licensing. I know full well that I can't fight the big battles - patent or not - and win.
There are hawks scanning patents every day. This is what they do. They take - modify - reverse engineer - or just plain steal - ideas. And they're good at it.
You really have to play this out in your mind and play to win. It's a dangerous game. MANY inventors almost went insane trying to get money for their ideas. It's so common that it's almost a guaranteed rite of passage that inventers must undertake. Good luck.
In the real world, ideas are ripped off as soon as they become known. It's a game of "catch me if you can" which takes a lot of time and a lot of money - and the bandits know that. That's why a lot of products don't have a patent. A patent is a PERMIT to sue someone. Suing them is an adventure that can take all your time AND all your money. Want to play that game? If you do get a judgment, good luck in getting money. It's not like suing Wal-Mart. It's like suing Galaxy Worldwide Enterprises - that was started in a garage or boiler room - and can disappear in a moment - with all their money also disappearing with them.
I am leaning HEAVILY towards licensing. I know full well that I can't fight the big battles - patent or not - and win.
There are hawks scanning patents every day. This is what they do. They take - modify - reverse engineer - or just plain steal - ideas. And they're good at it.
You really have to play this out in your mind and play to win. It's a dangerous game. MANY inventors almost went insane trying to get money for their ideas. It's so common that it's almost a guaranteed rite of passage that inventers must undertake. Good luck.