My Own Worst Enemy
**Length and lack of teh funny apology, upfront**

Occasionally, I'm my own worst enemy. I seem to have this little thing inside me, somewhere, implanted under the skin that, on the odd occasion that I have a good idea it instantly tips me into full-on self-destructo mode. But I digress.

There's an allegation that I'm a bit creative and that I can sometimes see problems and solutions that aren't seen elsewhere.

This helps me to remain gainfully employed (or, at least, employed) and earning a reasonable wage (defined as (age x (n*1000)).

When I create things at work I should - and now do - patent them. The first two things I created and shared with people that I was working with at the time I didn't.

This meant that I was financially disadvantaged by nothing other than my own stupidity. On the other hand, a certain company whose name may rhyme with "Nonson and Nonson" DID patent my invention and are busily commercialising it at the moment.

Another company, whose name may rhyme with "Emperian" and are based in Nottingham also patented a method for using data to detect fraud effectively, and have added it to one of their models.

Edit: Sorry - should have made this clear. I was self-employed at the time when I did this.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 31 Jul 2008, 17:22, closed)

Boring but true fact
UK law generally suggests that anything created through the normal course of your work belongs to your employer. So legally, it's their invention and up to them to patent and exploit as they see fit. They may or may not choose to share proceeds with you.

If they don't want to patent, they can choose to assign the intellectual property to you, often for a nominal fee of a pound.

But generally, employers are perfectly entitled to commercialise. And you might want to keep any inventions quiet if you decide to do do anything with them without their knowledge.

Apologies for lack of funny too. My brain is tired and needs food.
( ancrenne doesn't eat anything that can play video games, Thu 31 Jul 2008, 17:38, closed)

Top Tip
Do not use any company kit for you invention. Do not discuss it on company time, on company property or have any communication about it over company infrastructure.

If you break any of the above, the company will attempt to claim the invention as theirs (any invention by an employee, or using company kit, is the property of the company - check toy contract) and screw you. If it's commercially viable that is.

If it's a crock of shit, then they'll sit back and let you blow your wonga on a pipe dream.
(TwistedLucidity is a forgetful turd, Thu 31 Jul 2008, 21:39, closed)