DGTrader,
As a note of interest. If one has a Patent Pending issued then the IP is protected against infringement and when the Patent is issued it is legally defendable. Defensible.
Investopedia:
"Such a designation (Pat Pend.) serves as a means of notifying the public and other businesses or inventors–notably possible patent or trademark infringers—that they could be held liable for damages once a patent is issued."
So if the thing is Patentable then the IP is golden assuming there is not a work-around, that is, a way to do the same thing in another way which would also be Patentable.