MyECheck, Inc. (fka MYEC)

[Steel Penny]

You have to explain to me how someone can be sued for using their own patent.

A short story to explain how it can happen - I was there. In the early 80s I shared office space with an entrepenure/inventor - LA. I was a CPA just starting a practice. One of the things LA invented was a plastic cigarette tip that reduced nicotine and tar to the smoker. In filing the patent LA had used his brother (an engineer and patent attorney)to prepare and file the patent, which was granted. When LA started making sales he got a cease and desist letter from WaterPik stating that LA was violating WaterPik's patent. Fortunately for LA he had used an attorney/engineer (and brother) to write the patent and who was willing to defend it in court; and also LA had large cahones. LA wrote WaterPik back and said for them to bring it on. After several letters WaterPik folded on their demand and in fact became the (as I remember it) the worldwide distributor, after paying a $200K licensing fee against royalties. My office mate made over $5 mil from his patent.

So it can happen. Filing suit is easy. Defending it expensive. But, if Ed/MYEC is right, let DT bring it on.

Oh, as an aside, remember when Ford fought the inventor of the variable speed windshield wipers - and lost. Let's just hope Ed has all his ducks in a row and is willing to defend them (and MYEC). He does seem to be a man with big brass ones.