RE: [ATM] More 'Patent 101' [was 'Too Small Optics-( and flex producedoptics)']

[Dominic-Luc Webb <dlwebb@canit.se>]

I am reading this thread with interest. I would like to point out
that patents are circumvented routinely by many methods. No idea
if these patent circumvention methods are themselves patentable.

First, the flex method patent will likely have problems being enforced
if it is not actually being sold or profited from in some manner that
the party infringing on it has actually threatened. Second, the
modifications to the patent could readily be argued to be the valuable
part of the invention, rather than the original patent. Violators often
claim the patent was not enforcable because the concept was actually
only a slight modification of work they did prior to the filing of
the patent, or because it was general industry knowledge. I am witnessing
some of these things, working in medical industry and seeing how diabetes
drugs are being developed by many competing academic institutions in
collaboration with pharmaceutical companies. Where there is money, you
will find entire legions of businessmen and, sadly, some very unscrupulous
scientists and engineers trying to get what they perceive to be their
fair share.

If you file a patent, and expect to protect it, and it is actually
valuable, plan on spending your time in court rooms and lawyers offices,
rather than your lab/shop. You will be surrounded by people offering
you the best of friendship, and later, a knife in the back.

Dominic-Luc Webb

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