Defensive publishing

[archerships]

Defensive publishing service offered by ip.com:

Patenting is extremely expensive and most companies have more innovative ideas than budgeted patent resources. Who can afford to patent everything? On the other hand, who can afford to let competitors patent technology used in your products and services? Worse yet, how do you know, years in advance, which patentable ideas you will need for your products and services? Defensive publishing is a low cost way to prevent competitors from obtaining patents and protect your freedom to practice.

Although nothing compared to getting a patent, it’s still kinda pricey — $200.00.

Original: craschworks - comments

Comments

[simonfunk.livejournal.com]

Problem here is people can patent all manner of variation and improvement, essentially fencing you in. I.e., you have some great idea, you publish, they (various they) spend $$$ to patent everything related, and when you try to actually do anything you find out you can't because the various practical bits have all been patented (bits you probably thought were obvious when you filed your own, and didn't even think to file for; or just bits you hadn't thought of yet because you hadn't gotten that far along, even though they would have been obvious to you the moment you encountered the issue). This is the main (perhaps only) reason I don't publicly journal my research.