Posts by russkrajec

Should you do a patent search?  Could it be helpful or harmful? For big companies, patent searches are forbidden because of the liability.  But for startup companies, patent searches can help your due diligence prior to filing. Beware of doing a patent search with the unconscious bias against the prior art.  Far too many inventors…

There is a huge myth that patent examiners are a lazy group of unionized government bureaucrats who are out to get you. The truth is that patent examiners – more likely than not – know more about a specific technology than anyone on earth. They spend their days searching, reading, and understanding a very narrow…

Many entrepreneurs (sometimes with their investor’s approval) skip getting patents.  Many say that they do not have the $2M of dry powder to enforce their patents, so they just do not play the game. Patent enforcement insurance is ridiculously affordable, especially for startup companies.  Enforcement insurance means that you have pre-paid legal fees at your…

What is the worst symbol for an invention?  It is the light bulb.  Edison did 1000 experiments to get to the light bulb.  It was a long, methodical, painful process – then the “light bulb” moment. Good invention – and good entrepreneurship – comes from the same methodical processes, not some flash of light. Come…

Webinar from 9 Apr 2020. How do you manage an IP portfolio? You need tools. Here are two simple questions to ask: 1. Can you tell if someone infringed your patent? 2. Can someone design around your patent? Armed with these two tools, you can manage most of your patent portfolio.