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From: jws@thumper.mlb.semi.harris.com (James W. Swonger)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,sci.research,misc.legal
Subject: Re: Patents, How to get them?:-)
Keywords: patents
Message-ID: <1990Aug2.122811.29219@mlb.semi.harris.com>
Date: 2 Aug 90 12:28:11 GMT
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 I second the motion that you waste no time. There is a time limit from
"date of disclosure" - the time you show or tell ANYONE (even your wife,
according to an attorney I talked to) what your invention is. 

 A patent gives you the right to prevent others from manufacturing and
selling the thing you have invented. If you don't plan to make and sell
it or plan to license the patent to collect royalties, then there isn't
much point to chasing the patent except the satisfaction of having one
(everybody should, I don't). 

 If you plan to just make a few of the whatzits and the market and
profit potential are limited, you could just go bare. By offering the
first one for sale, you have disclosed it to the public and nobody else
can patent it afterward (well, they might fool the patent office, but it
would not be valid once you show the first ad with publication date, etc.
If you do go bare, however, you should at least write up what you did
and send a "Disclosure of Invention" to the patent office. You have
some time after that to proceed further, but the simple (and cheap)
act of disclosure prevents any competitor from patenting what you did.

OF COURSE I WOULD NOT BE DISPENSING UNQUALIFIED LEGAL ADVICE SO I ADVISE
YOU TO AT LEAST DISCUSS THIS WITH A LAWYER SO DON'T SUE ME BLEAHHH!