Jim_Wood
02-01-2005, 16:03
In March of last year, I developed a new alcohol stove that I think was (and still is) unique. Called the SUPER CAT, it is extraordinarily simple, yet is one of the hottest burning alcohol stoves I've seen.
I recently (January 30, 2005) released the design into the public domain. If you're interested, you can find more information and build instructions at http://timberwolf.us/supercat.
Jim Wood.
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By the way, rather than adding to Sgt Rock's already long post about whether or not to attempt to patent and commercialize his alcohol stove, I'd like to offer a couple of comments:
1. As a former Silicon Valley CFO, I've managed dozens of patent prosecutions over the years. I'd just point out that it's a long (3-4 years), complex process with a good chance that you will ultimately not prevail, especially since there's so much "prior art" (patent term) in the space. It's also a process that will probably cost a lot more than you might expect - I used to budget a minimum of $10-$15K per (U.S. only) application in legal and filing fees even for fairly simple concepts. International filings typically added even more to the tab. Generally speaking, if an idea is not a fairly significant leap forward technology-wise, patent applications are probably not worth the bother.
This process is also the main reason that I decided to place my own stove design, noted above, into the public domain, rather than try to "protect" it with a patent. The word "protect" is in quotes, because with the intellectual property rights quagmire that exists in Asia and elsewhere now, patents really offer little or no protection against violators. Even a company like Microsoft, with its virtually unlimited legal budget, is overwhelmed by the problem.
2. I think the market for alcohol stoves offers a fairly limited opportunity for an entrepreneur, since those who are inclined to use them in the first place already have access to lots of inexpensive (or free, DIY) options. Nonetheless, if you're fairly certain you're not infringing on someone else's patent, and would still like to test the market, I'd suggest just charging ahead without worrying about patent filings. I'm convinced that the only way to really know if someone will buy something is to offer it for sale.
My 2¢.
I recently (January 30, 2005) released the design into the public domain. If you're interested, you can find more information and build instructions at http://timberwolf.us/supercat.
Jim Wood.
---------------------
By the way, rather than adding to Sgt Rock's already long post about whether or not to attempt to patent and commercialize his alcohol stove, I'd like to offer a couple of comments:
1. As a former Silicon Valley CFO, I've managed dozens of patent prosecutions over the years. I'd just point out that it's a long (3-4 years), complex process with a good chance that you will ultimately not prevail, especially since there's so much "prior art" (patent term) in the space. It's also a process that will probably cost a lot more than you might expect - I used to budget a minimum of $10-$15K per (U.S. only) application in legal and filing fees even for fairly simple concepts. International filings typically added even more to the tab. Generally speaking, if an idea is not a fairly significant leap forward technology-wise, patent applications are probably not worth the bother.
This process is also the main reason that I decided to place my own stove design, noted above, into the public domain, rather than try to "protect" it with a patent. The word "protect" is in quotes, because with the intellectual property rights quagmire that exists in Asia and elsewhere now, patents really offer little or no protection against violators. Even a company like Microsoft, with its virtually unlimited legal budget, is overwhelmed by the problem.
2. I think the market for alcohol stoves offers a fairly limited opportunity for an entrepreneur, since those who are inclined to use them in the first place already have access to lots of inexpensive (or free, DIY) options. Nonetheless, if you're fairly certain you're not infringing on someone else's patent, and would still like to test the market, I'd suggest just charging ahead without worrying about patent filings. I'm convinced that the only way to really know if someone will buy something is to offer it for sale.
My 2¢.