Typical inventors and entrepreneurs have two compelling questions related to patent law: whether their invention is patentable, and whether making and selling their invention infringes upon a competitor's patent. There is, unfortunately, a prevalent myth that combines and confuses these two questions. Myth: "As long as I receive a patent on my product, no other company can stop me from making and selling my product." The truth is that the patentability of an invention, and the right to sell and make the invention without infringement of another patent, are completely unrelated. By misunderstanding this concept, engineers may eventually lose patent rights or infringe the patent rights of a competitor. More importantly, engineers may fail to gain adequate funding for their technology and may consequently fail to introduce, sell, and make an impact with their technology.
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