Category: Startups & Funding
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Patent Attorneys’ Misguided Obsession About Costs
Hand wringing amongst patent attorneys show their misguided view of their clients. Patent attorneys work in a bubble that is completely hidden from laypersons, but is an incredibly loud echo chamber. An example is the…
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Every Word Hurts You: Patent Claims
Every Word in the Description Hurts You, and the Claims Hurt You, Too. The length of the claims really matters. The length of the specification is important – but only up to a point. There…
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How Long Provisional Applications Hurt You
How Your Own Prior Art Can Kill You I had a client whose inventor would write long provisional patent[1] applications. He would think through all the options of his inventions, and he would include every…
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Communication Hygiene: Things You Never Say To Your Patent Attorney
Good news in writing – bad news by phone. Inventors have extraordinary power in the patent process, especially in litigation. An inventor’s opinion or comments can often be twisted during litigation and ultimately, used to…
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Avoid Wishful Thinking Patents
I just want “protection,” but I have a run-of-the-mill product. Most startup CEOs want patents because they want ‘protection,’ so they go to a patent attorney. And the patent attorney is in the unfortunate situation…
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Patent Value – Revenue is the only factor that matters.
(Updated 22 July 2023.) TL;DR: Realistic patent valuations are based on *context*. I can tell your patent value by how much revenue it produces. If your patent is infringed, I can calculate possible damages and…
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What Is Patent Infringement?
Patent infringement is when someone else uses your patented idea without permission. The strict, legal definition is when someone infringes or performs every limitation of at least one patent claim. This is found in 35…
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How Patent Pools Work
Patent pools and standards essential patents are the Holy Grail of intellectual property. Patent pools are sophisticated ways that companies can bring technology together, cross license them, and license that package of intellectual property to…
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IP Due Diligence Checklist
Due diligence is essential for any business deal, and IP due diligence[1] is shockingly left out of the equation for most angel investors and venture capital investors. Due diligence is hard work. Doing it well…
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Only Gullible Angel Investors fall for Provisional Patents
Provisional patent[1] applications are the worst things for angel investors. What is a provisional patent application? A provisional patent application, sometimes called a “provisional” or “PPA,” is the single worst thing a startup can do…