Patent press release misinformation
Sunday, February 3rd, 2008
Reading patent-related press releases is about the most painful exercise I can think of, apart from pulling out my own fingernails with a rusty pair of pliers.
Why? For me, the constant flow of misinformation is nothing short of maddening.
My current favorite example of how not to write a patent press release is this little gem, which notes that the company has filed for its “permanent patent.”
A permanent patent? Where in the world do I get one of those? And how much does it cost?
It might not seem like a big deal, but I believe these little bits of misinformation - which seem to be the rule and not the exception - have a way of painting a negative picture of our patent system in the minds of the public. “A permanent patent? Crikey…that’s bad….”
Maybe Sorocco was onto something after all when he suggested that all companies start to have their press releases proofed by patent counsel…and that patent counsel start doing so for free.