Dealing with Patent Infringement
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Dealing with Patent Infringement
Although a patent offers help to inventors in the form of protection, there exists no enforcing body to make sure your patent ideas are safe from infringement. Infringement means someone else is copying your idea or using your idea as part of their own invention.
Believe it or not, if someone infringes on your patent, there is positive news to consider. The fact that someone is trying to copy your great idea means it is a significant discovery. It probably also means that your idea has commercial value. Otherwise why would someone want to infringe on it? Plus, if you did your due diligence when filing for and obtaining your patent, you are likely to receive compensation for the infringement. The bad new is, it will cost you time and money to get that compensation.
If you discover infringement of a patent, you may need to hire a patent law firm to respond. Since infringement is a tricky business and patent law is so complex, a patent attorney can help you navigate your defense. He or she may even save you money because they (using their expertise in the area) can outline the quickest, least expensive and easiest way to deal with the infringement. If someone infringes on your patent, you are entitled to recover lost profits and reasonable royalties. Sometimes the best response to a patent infringement is to create a license that allows you to receive ongoing payment. Dealing with a patent infringement will take time and money but by hiring a patent attorney, you can free up your own time to market and sell your invention.
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| Mary White |
