A patent itself can be a product. You don't have to know how to make an Idea work to patent it. You can patent an idea while you try to figure out how to make it work (and then maybe file a "continuation-in-part") or do nothing and if someone else solves the problem, license them your IP.
What lol. They couldn't compete either for quailty or price or both. Point me to the product that I can purchase? This is the QMC board and I am invested so yes I'm positive on the outcome.