Charnley wrote:Hi
[...]
One of my applications has just been granted a UK patent and now I have to find the eye watering money to file a PCT in the next couple of weeks.
The design is currently being developed and should be ready for UK and USA launch in a few months. Ive been very lucky and have a big name that is not part of the Empire behind it too !
John
I'd also love to hear about your patent application. Can you tell us a little about it without spilling the beans ("disclosure" in lawyer speak)? A very knowledgeable friend of mine said to me recently "nothing is new in the world of locks". The more locks and lock patents you hear about the more you realise how true this is!
I was involved in filing a PCT (not for locks) in around 1994. My then employer paid upwards of AU$100,000 to file internationally. The US version of the patent finally appeared in 2001.
You may be able to recoup some of the money by offering to consult on the patent attorney's response, if your employer does not cover your time to do this. My experience was that the patent attorney comes back with a huge list of prior art patents that you have to argue are not equivalent to your idea. Only the inventor has any real chance to make a convincing case of this, so the patent attorney must seek your advice (unless he is an expert). If their advice costs $500/hour, make yours cost $1000/hour!