It is illegal in the United States import, sell, use or manufacture a patented product without the patent owner’s express permission. If you choose to do any of these things, you are running the risk of being sued for infringement. However, you can buy patent rights, if the owner will sell the rights to you. This is a solution that can be worked out in some cases.
In the past, people were able to sell and buy patent rights. However, they often sold the patents for less than what they were worth. Now, there are agencies that help in patenting process, such as InventHelp, and there are firms that assist patent buyers and sellers in finding one another, and the results can be quite lucrative.
There are many firms out there, from New York to California, who are in the business of assisting people in the buying and selling of patents. They are brokers of sorts. Since it is legal to buy patent rights, these firms are running completely legitimate businesses. These firms are taking advantage of a growing marketplace that values the purchase of patents. Anyone would agree that it is easier to buy than innovate; and the growing number of buyers and sellers supports this idea. The firms or the patent brokers, if you will, are in the business of connecting buyers and sellers for a fee.
There are many business, legal and technical issues that have bearing on the value of an existing patent. The average patent holder does not possess the knowledge to know the true market value of his or her patent. In addition, patent holders may not have the relationships with people who are willing to buy patent rights. This is where the patent brokerage firms come in to play.
They are able to assess the patent and take many variables into consideration regarding the patent. These variables include a fair market value of the patent, as well as a projection of future market value. Patent brokers also look at the potential problems or red tape they might encounter by getting involved with the sale of the patent.
The next issue is for the patent brokers to figure out who would be interested and able to buy patent rights to the patent. They will consider to whom the patent will bear relevance. They will make use of their contacts to make new contacts, if needed.
Once a few different buyers are located, the patent brokers will attempt to create as much interest among the buyers as possible in relation to the patent. Part of what the brokers do when trying to entice an individual or company to buy patent rights is to impress upon them why the patent would be a good purchase for them.
Once a buyer is hooked, the patent broker will negotiate the sale to buy patent rights. A good brokerage firm will represent the seller well by not allowing the buyer to try and push the seller into a sale for less than a fair market value. You can read more about it here: https://www.sfexaminer.com/marketplace/how-can-you-benefit-from-inventhelp/.
After the sale is made, post sale requirements must be made to tie up any loose ends.