|
Bancroft IA | Patents and copyrights are tricky. Most patents cost at a minimum of $10,000 and more likely $15,000 to $20,000 if you get a lawyer good enough to actually protect it properly. Then, once you get one, if a company comes along that has deep pockets, they can copy it and it is up to you to hire and pay for the lawyer and go to court. That is where you see if your patent lawyer was worth a darn. The patent doesn't stop them from copying, it just gives you an arguing point in court. And even if your lawyer was good, the big company can keep dragging it on costing you more in lawyer fees. Your lawyer is going to keep asking for payments even if nothing has been resolved or decided. The big companies typically try to outlast you and wait for you to throw in the towel. You will need to analyze how much money you think this product is going to make you and if you want the cost of perusing one. I hate to be so cynical, but patents are not always the answer. They would work perfectly if your competitor was morally upright, but if they were, you wouldn't need the patent in the first place. If your idea is going to make you millions, it is worth it. But if it is going to make you several thousand, grab what you can and ride they wave as long as you can. And keep working to give people reason to go with your original recipe and not someone who is trying to copy it. | |
|
Help with an Idea for a Product / Service
