I have been developing new products for over 25 years and have been involved in several patent applications. As an outsider to the patent legal system, I have things to say about patents that patent attorneys don't usually say about their own field. But don't use this article as a final basis for making important patent decisions. It is meant to give a cursory and alternate viewpoint of the world of patents.

The main patent example used is the Ballard fuel cell patent US5,176,966 which was granted as a result of research that I was largely responsible for while working there. The greater power density that was possible with this design was needed for the first prototype fuel cell powered bus.