Comments on: To patent or not to patent? http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/ Macrobug Blog Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:22:49 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/comment-page-1/#comment-28 John Wed, 04 Oct 2006 22:01:57 +0000 http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/#comment-28 Well, the patent office claim it's possible, but 'recommend you get professional advice'. Nolo are a respected option stateside, but well, the US is definately different. How much do you buy your list of Pros and cons? Pro 1, for example, seems to assume you can afford to defend your patent in court (in time as well as money terms). Can you? Is Pro 5 something you need to do <em>now</em>? Aren't cons 1-3 the same thing? Well, the patent office claim it’s possible, but ‘recommend you get professional advice’. Nolo are a respected option stateside, but well, the US is definately different.

How much do you buy your list of Pros and cons? Pro 1, for example, seems to assume you can afford to defend your patent in court (in time as well as money terms). Can you?

Is Pro 5 something you need to do now?

Aren’t cons 1-3 the same thing?

]]> By: Adrian Taylor http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Adrian Taylor Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:39:03 +0000 http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/#comment-27 I have received an offline response saying that I probably ought to go for the patent option. So currently the votes are 2-0 for patenting. Any other thoughts? John, BTW, I haven't looked at whether it's possible to do DIY patents in the UK. It might be. I guess it comes down to a tradeoff about whether the fees are worth it for the increased protection it's likely to give you, due to being better worded. I think a good compromise might be to draft it myself then get it checked over. But fortunately I don't have to think about that for 12 months... it's the initial filing that I have to worry about at the moment, which is definitely something I'd do myself. I have received an offline response saying that I probably ought to go for the patent option.

So currently the votes are 2-0 for patenting.

Any other thoughts?

John, BTW, I haven’t looked at whether it’s possible to do DIY patents in the UK. It might be. I guess it comes down to a tradeoff about whether the fees are worth it for the increased protection it’s likely to give you, due to being better worded. I think a good compromise might be to draft it myself then get it checked over. But fortunately I don’t have to think about that for 12 months… it’s the initial filing that I have to worry about at the moment, which is definitely something I’d do myself.

]]> By: Adrian Taylor http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/comment-page-1/#comment-26 Adrian Taylor Tue, 03 Oct 2006 23:10:47 +0000 http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/#comment-26 Hello, thanks both for your replies. Initially I am thinking about a UK patent - yes, you can patent software, although you have to describe it in terms of being a machine to do something. Hello, thanks both for your replies. Initially I am thinking about a UK patent – yes, you can patent software, although you have to describe it in terms of being a machine to do something.

]]> By: John http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/comment-page-1/#comment-25 John Tue, 03 Oct 2006 20:51:24 +0000 http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/#comment-25 Can you patent software in the UK? And if you're considering a US patent, have you evaluated the DIY option? http://www.nolo.com/ Can you patent software in the UK? And if you’re considering a US patent, have you evaluated the DIY option?

http://www.nolo.com/

]]> By: woop http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/comment-page-1/#comment-24 woop Tue, 03 Oct 2006 11:54:08 +0000 http://www.macrobug.com/blog/2006/10/03/to-patent-or-not-to-patent/#comment-24 I'd be inclined to patent, Ade. It's a universally recognised means of protecting your IP (regardless the length to which you may/may-not pursue that protection). It also demonstrates you're serious about your technology & have an investment in it. And don't look on the 5K as a cost/con, it's an asset. The 5K forms part of the value of your IP. But then don't listen to me too closely...I call myself 'Woop'. I’d be inclined to patent, Ade.

It’s a universally recognised means of protecting your IP (regardless the length to which you may/may-not pursue that protection).

It also demonstrates you’re serious about your technology & have an investment in it. And don’t look on the 5K as a cost/con, it’s an asset. The 5K forms part of the value of your IP.

But then don’t listen to me too closely…I call myself ‘Woop’.

]]>