Comments on: Circumvent that Patent Tar Pit http://gigaom.com/2008/01/17/circumvent-that-patent-tar-pit/ Business, Internet, Technology & Strategy Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:13:40 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Steve G. http://gigaom.com/2008/01/17/circumvent-that-patent-tar-pit/#comment-874849 Steve G. Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:41:12 +0000 http://foundread.com/2008/01/17/circumvent-that-patent-tar-pit/#comment-874849 Wow, either the author doesn't understand patents or can't be bothered to read the documentation on the Peer to Patent Web site - I'm not sure which is worse. This is <em>not</em> a substitute for filing a patent application - it is a tool to assist in locating relevant "prior art" to determine if an application will meet the USPTO standards of novelty and non-obviousness. So, as much as you'd like to avoid paying a patent attorney (like me), you still need to file an application before this system can be used. Otherwise, you're just exposing your idea to the world to see for free and throwing away any potential patent rights in the process. Oh, and if you're being charged $30,000 to file a patent application (just for the preparation and filing of the application, not seeing it through to issue), it had better be a huge application or you're getting ripped off. Wow, either the author doesn’t understand patents or can’t be bothered to read the documentation on the Peer to Patent Web site – I’m not sure which is worse.

This is not a substitute for filing a patent application – it is a tool to assist in locating relevant “prior art” to determine if an application will meet the USPTO standards of novelty and non-obviousness.

So, as much as you’d like to avoid paying a patent attorney (like me), you still need to file an application before this system can be used. Otherwise, you’re just exposing your idea to the world to see for free and throwing away any potential patent rights in the process.

Oh, and if you’re being charged $30,000 to file a patent application (just for the preparation and filing of the application, not seeing it through to issue), it had better be a huge application or you’re getting ripped off.

]]> By: The infamous patent tar-pit « nPost Startup Blog http://gigaom.com/2008/01/17/circumvent-that-patent-tar-pit/#comment-874850 The infamous patent tar-pit « nPost Startup Blog Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:29:34 +0000 http://foundread.com/2008/01/17/circumvent-that-patent-tar-pit/#comment-874850 [...] The infamous patent tar-pit Or maybe not so famous, but here are some interesting suggestions for getting from mired in the all encompassing goo that is the patent world. [...] [...] The infamous patent tar-pit Or maybe not so famous, but here are some interesting suggestions for getting from mired in the all encompassing goo that is the patent world. [...]

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