Patents are terrifying things. I mean.... My dad was the VP of this little company that got the patent on "gene therapy" by being the race to like, do the first gene therapy experiment that was successful. That means every genetic test, every genetic therapy, they have to pay for the privilege (which IMHO opinion, that's not something that should be patentable, but it is.) Companies were doing CRAYZEE stuff to get there too. They company finally did whatever it was called when you put your shares on the open market and Merc (I think it was) swooped in there like a shark and just SLURPED up that company as if it were a surfer....
I always think "is this fair" and much of the time I think "not really" but people get WACKY about patents. Like the company that made "safety" baby outfits with squeakers on the knees so you could "always hear your kid" they spent money on a patent.
I always felt sorry for the (singularly rare) baby who'd have to deal with that at the playground it's a good thing they don't talk that coherently at that age, they would've been teased mercilessly, heck, if I had ever SEEN one anywhere I would have made epic fun of the "parents," like "Do you lose your watch frequently and are you trying to make this kid a target for dogs," kind of stuff.
Anna