MAGNACOASTER MAKES THE DRAGONS DEN!!

[jeffc]

You are not going to find anything.
A patent is not publicized until it is granted. This is required by the patenting process.
It's kept secrect while the patent process is ongoing, aka patent pending. Elseway they
will not be able to determine how much of the "patent" has been exposed to the public.
It's not possible to apply for a patent if your babble about it's secrets before the application.

And your'e not guaranteed to find it when it's granted either.
Some administrations require payment for you to see a specific patent. It not all public.

Not to be overy picky, but your statement is not entirely true.  US Patents are typically published after 18months, even if they are still pending.  There are some exceptions, and in fact an inventor can ask for it to be published sooner (this rarely happens) or attempt to have it delayed (requested but usually denied). 

The USPTO doesn't really "determine" how much an invention has been exposed.  They search publication databases and thats about it.  A smart inventor will keep an invention quiet however, because if later the invention is challenged the disclosures can be used against them to nullify the patent.

You CAN reveal your invention to non-public entities in the interest of developing the business around your patent.  It is smart to use a non-disclosure agreement with any third party you discuss it with.  Disclosures to third parties does not prevent you from getting a patent, but you still have to be careful not to show your invention in a public forum.  That being said, be prepared to pay lawyers if you show to a business person who copies your idea.

[Pirate88179]

jeffc:

Exactly!  And also, as our patent attorney told us years ago, be prepared to defend any and ALL infringements.  If 5 people jump your patent and you can only afford to go after 1 of them (it costs about a million dollars to defend each instance) then the USPO decides that since you did not defend your patent, it is now null and void.  My attorney said that in reality, a great idea will be jumped by hundreds of folks.  No one individual can afford to defend against that so....I think patents are a big waste of time.  His advice was to produce the idea, and make as much use of the head start you have against the competition as you can.

We actually did just that.  5 years later, a division of a major glass and R&D corporation obtained a patent on our product and their lawyers visited my office and told us to cease and desist, but they offered to grant us a license to produce our product and pay a royalty to them. (yea right)  Our attorney gleefully told them that, since we had been making the product and selling it in the open market for 5 years, and were the original inventors of the product, their patent was null and void.  We never heard from them again.

Bill

[dean_mcgowan]

Awfully quiet on the canadian front now that details have been requested .. non disclosure agreement ?

[Ergo]

Is there any words from Dragons Den regarding the testing of Magnacoasters device?

[Liberty]

Is there any words from Dragons Den regarding the testing of Magnacoasters device?

In the video, I think he said that Waterloo University tested the device.  He claimed 2600% overunity output.  It would be a rather large math mistake if it proved not overunity I would think.  Is there any statement from Waterloo University on the test that they made?