Author: Gregory Maxwell 2014-05-19 18:43:15
Published on: 2014-05-19T18:43:15+00:00
In a 2014 email exchange, Mike Hearn advised against looking for patents due to US law that triples damages for knowingly infringing. However, this advice is outdated as the precedent was overturned in In Re Seagate and avoiding willful infringement no longer requires paying off a patent attorney. While reading patents may not always be productive as they can be difficult to understand, filing a patent can get the work entered in the only database that USPTO examiners are guaranteed to consult when doing a prior art search, potentially precluding someone else from patenting the same material later. Patents can also be used defensively as leverage in a licensing negotiation or to ensure an invitation to the negotiating table with someone who holds patents in a particular space. Care must be taken to avoid bad outcomes in the case of changes of ownership.
Updated on: 2023-05-19T18:53:54.367357+00:00