The patent tag has no wiki summary.
1
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3answers
202 views
Am I committing patent infringement if the function is the same but construction is different?
I know there are other products out there similar to the one my partner and I are working on. We are a new start up and want to be sure that we don't get into any trouble in the future by stepping on ...
1
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1answer
46 views
Does exists shared patents porfolios that a company can contract as insurance?
considering so much articles I've read about the IP scenario today, I was wondering if there exists Patents holder companies that...
Have a good patents porfolio (maybe thounsands, in many areas).
...
2
votes
3answers
232 views
What happens if someone fails to patent?
I was shocked to see that www.spypig.com patents are not found in patent search and my friend patented that procedure as his idea and submitted and received the patent rights.
Now can he send a ...
1
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4answers
196 views
Can I patent something like this?
Assume there is no one doing type as you search.
And I am the first one to do it, can I patent this application? If not, please explain. Thank you.
2
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3answers
232 views
I'm afraid someone's patenting my ideas
I had a brainstorming session with a friend a year and a half ago, and a lot of great ideas came out of it. I moved on the ideas, starting a company - our product has been on the market for about 10 ...
1
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1answer
931 views
Is it possible to patent a programming language?
I am considering inventing a new specialized programming language, which should increase the human/computer communication speed considerably. I, therefore, have two questions:
Is it possible to get ...
1
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4answers
256 views
Will employer invest in my idea?
Let me describe a situation I happened to be in by now several times. I work in the field of detector/electronics/imaging systems development. I often get some new technical ideas and solutions, ...
2
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6answers
5k views
Is there a patent on Groupon.com?
I am thinking about starting a niche collective buying website in the US that is similar to Groupon.com
Is Groupon patented? Is it legal to create a competitor website?
2
votes
2answers
88 views
How do I find a patent application?
So, a competitor is announcing that their new product is "patent applied for".
I'd be interested in seeing what their patent application covers - how do I go about finding the patent application to ...
0
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1answer
96 views
Question on patents and copycats
I have a question regarding patents:
Why is no one allowed to do the same, like for example the concept of groupon? (there are many competitors like gonabiit or tippr)
There are many social ...
3
votes
3answers
411 views
What kind of software can be patented?
I've heard that only algorithms that are "non-obvious" can be patented. What does this mean?
Can someone give me examples of software that is patentable and software that is not?
0
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2answers
126 views
How to monetize patents?
Suppose your company has developed a lot of patents to defend itself from being sued.
Company A is sued by company B for infringement of its patents. Company B's patents are invalidated by the prior ...
3
votes
3answers
155 views
Getting Clearance Opinion on Software Related Patents
We're in the process of designing a web application and discovered a patent that lays claim to many basic web technologies that we are planning to use (like passing simulation data from a server to a ...
8
votes
2answers
404 views
How do I know if I am infringing on a technology patent?
I want to create an app for the Ipad which uses "videoconferencing" technology, very similar to what skype does.
How do I know if that is patented?
What happens if it IS patent protected and I use the ...
5
votes
5answers
668 views
How do these sites get away with infringing Elance's patent?
I know you all aren't patent lawyers but maybe I am missing something obvious?
How do these sites get away with breaking Elance's patent U.S. Patent 7,069,242 [guru, scriptlance, vworker, ...
2
votes
2answers
97 views
Can a license to a patent be considered a company's IP
Can a license to a patent be considered a company's IP or asset? What can constitute as a company's IP?
1
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3answers
177 views
Patent on Social Network
I have an idea for a social network site. I know Facebook has many patents and I'm afraid of violating one of some of them. I'm not located in the US, main questions:
Do you think I should talk with ...
7
votes
2answers
449 views
Intellectual Property Suicide Pill
I'm planning a new software company that will license software to businesses. A lot of R&D will be needed to create the software and indeed, our codebase will be our biggest asset. Unfortunately ...
1
vote
3answers
226 views
What patents are there currently established for question and answer sites?
I am having a website built that has questions and answers as a large component and feature center. Is there currently any well established patents that I should know about that would potentially be a ...
10
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3answers
285 views
How should a startup deal with existing, ambiguous patents?
I've been thinking about a new idea I want to work on. After searching the USPTO, I found that there are many (hundreds) of patents around what I am wanting to work on, with a slew being very similar ...
6
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6answers
505 views
what's the possibility I can patent a simple never-been done web app?
I'm looking to patent a method/core of my web app. It's actually pretty simple. What's the chance of me getting a patent for it?
7
votes
2answers
286 views
Are patents worth investing in?
We have got patents for specific technologies in the past, they cost a lot and the value was not really visable.
We often develop specific algorithms for real-time systems and work with a range of ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
What happens when a UK company infringes a US patent?
I'm a one man startup with a high price, low volume, niche software product that I'm considering selling in the US. However, I'm concerned that it may infringe a US patent without me knowing because ...
1
vote
2answers
285 views
Can I copyright or otherwise protect a business vision/strategy?
I am involved as a cofounder in a tech/software company. My associate is bringing initial funding and is conversant with finance/accounting, facilities/infrastructure and general organizational ...
3
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4answers
206 views
Is it hard to get into the hardware business?
In my head, I see the entry to the hardware business very difficult due to all the patents. Is this true or is it just me?
Say I want to create a simple mobile phone with touch capabilities. What ...
1
vote
2answers
74 views
Are patents also relevant for open-source software providers?
Afaik, patents restrict commercial use of a patented idea.
But what about open-source providers who are giving away the software without commercial interest? Do patents apply to them at all or can ...
1
vote
3answers
127 views
Patent a process
Are there any resources you guys can help me find to patent a process for a web app I have developed. Or give any advice or steps to get the process started. Thanks so much everyone.
1
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2answers
187 views
What does IP mean in Digital medium
From my understanding of Paul Graham's Article http://paulgraham.com/msftpatent.html, IP doesn't have much affect on digital products/services. For example, youtube, tinyurl, groupon, kickstarter all ...
1
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1answer
441 views
What is the best and least expensive way to trademark and patent your business IP internationally?
I am working on a start-up company to grow to become a big company to compete against some well known, popular, and in some ways powerful companies in the respective industries and markets today. I ...
1
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2answers
96 views
Where to prototype my patent?
I am looking for a prototyping company for some of my patents. Does anyone know any good but cheap ones, coming out of China? I've browsed on Alibaba.com but I haven't found anything credible. Has ...
4
votes
3answers
149 views
Patents for Content Management Systems
I'm currently developing a Content Management System designed to manage video media. I have taken a look online and seen that there have been (US) patents filed for content management systems in the ...
1
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2answers
312 views
How can I determine if someone owns the intellectual property rights to a word game?
I found a really cool word game that I would like to implement as a mobile app, though I don't if anyone owns the right to the concept. I know there are many games out there, such as Poker or ...
7
votes
10answers
3k views
How do you protect the key features of your product without a patent?
I'm working on improving an old web based product but afraid that my idea will be copied by the bigger players. For example, let's say I build an improved a web-based task management software but ...
4
votes
1answer
209 views
Is patent enforcement insurance all it's cracked up to be?
There are a few companies out there that seem to offer insurance packages for small(er) players in a market that want to be able to defend patents that are likely to be infringed.
On the face of it, ...
1
vote
3answers
143 views
A question(s) about IP in a 'Web 2.0' startup
I'm laying the groundwork for what might ostensibly be considered a 'Web 2.0' startup. While I think that I might have some protectable IP, I think that these are not necessarily fundamental to the ...
0
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2answers
325 views
Do Start-ups Need Cost Effective and Rapid Patent Services
My partner and I, after many years of researching and inventing, became patent agents and formed an LLC. Our business model is based on start-ups that need patents and trademarks but can't afford the ...
7
votes
3answers
305 views
How can startup be ready to defend IP/Patents if/when a competitor does infringe?
My startup is working on a consumer product (manufacture, sell, ship), where we have developed a really great improvement over our competitors. We have patent pending status, and will be entering the ...
2
votes
4answers
108 views
Where to Search for Software Prior-Art?
The USPTO has issued alot of software and Internet patents that are pretty worthless because the USPTO does a terrible job of collecting prior art in this area. Other than www.spi.org (who I believe ...
9
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8answers
552 views
Filing a Patent
I have a web based product which has some unique characteristics. The whole concept is not
100% unique but the way this idea has shaped up I think is unique. I want to apply for patent of this idea.
...
2
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5answers
313 views
Enjoy patent pending status, or file for an early reivew?
My start up is getting ready to launch a retail product, for which we have filed (and expect to be granted) a patent application. The typical time for a patent to be reviewed is about 2-3 years, and ...
0
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2answers
138 views
Funding and Security for Patent applications
I have several ideas that I could use for patents. I am not sure if ideas on their own can be patented or if it needs to be a design or solution. But my question is - Patent filing is expensive and ...
