Perfect Path Technologies: Omega E mat

You have to dig deep into your own pockets to be able to defend your patent. That is another reason not to patent. If you actually had a break thru in technology you can only hope to have a company that has integrity and deep pockets to come in and buy you up or some large portion of your position. I am not sure that even a bullitt proof NDA written on graphene would offer an inventor protection during a one year discovery period while courting outside investment  Tom

I worked in innovation for 32 years.  @geoffkait is spot on with his statements above.  A patent simply gives others deeper knowledge and vital missing links on how you accomplished your innovation. Competition will learn from it and change one portion enough to call it their own and skate by. Best to keep it a secret.  

Nobody gets patents in this industry.

Cardas would be one exception to this, I suppose?

Actually they reveal how the device works.

Sometimes, even filing an application for patent (whether or not one is ultimately granted) can put your IP out there in the public domain. There are ways to avoid this. Published patents are viewable by the public.

https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s103.html

As GK has said, lack of a patent certainly isn’t reliable commentary about the "quality" of an invention.

dpjones51 - 
Well of course a (patent?) attorney is going to take that view!  :-)

In fact, patents don't provide automatic protection against infringement.  The holder needs adequate resources to defend AND the patent(s) must provide adequate scope to help against infringement to begin with.  Then there's always business as practiced in certain Asian countries to consider.