Patent?

[Joe Pfeiffer]

Jeff Andros writes:
>>
>> As I understand it, even if the patent hasn't been granted, it's still in
>force.  One of our screwy USPTO loopholes says they can put "patent pending"
>on whatever it is, then screw around with the patent office... you can
>double or triple the time your patent is effective if you've got lawyers who
>are good at stalling

It's not exactly in force yet, but once it is issued it might as well
have been.  This has always been a problem with the patent office; the
guy who patented the automobile never built a car -- he filed his
original application in (googlegooglegoogle) 1879, and managed to keep
it in the system and not get it approved until roughly 1895.  Henry
Ford started fighting the patent in 1903, and was responsible for
having it invalidated in 1910.  Seven years of wasted time and
effort.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_6_37/ai_n15340875/pg_2