ressler@nbs-amrf.UUCP (Sandy Ressler) (10/16/85)
As I understand the patent process, partly from a patent attorney friend of mine: The real trick in getting a patent is to have your claims extend the prior art but not duplicate some previous patent. The novelty or usefullness of the idea is pretty subjective. A good patent lawyer will write the patent in a way which claims something which is not quite present in the previous patents. Also getting a patent is the start of a process whereby you the inventor would have a basis for a court case against some infringer. It is the court case which would determine the real value of the patent. Many patents are issued and then defeated in court. It is up to the patent holder to pursue alleded infringers, otherwise the patent is simply a piece of paper which says that some patent examiner thinks this idea/process/thing should get a patent. Does anyone know if this company has actually tried to collect $$$?