What do you do when you find out that your idea is patented by someone or loosely covered by a patent, especially when you find out late in the project implementation?
Do you go ahead with the product or do you drop the project and change directions?<p>Please consider a scenario where you did do extensive research before starting the project and after 2 or 3 months in to the project you found out that someone has patent of your idea.
Do it anyway. It's rare for a startup to be sued for patent infringement. But more importantly, in the course of working on this idea you'll discover your real one.
First, be open about it to any potential partners and investors.<p>Second, are there any partnership options with the patent holder? Most people are smart enough to know a patent that is just held isn't all that valuable. Killing a startup won't help a company that isn't really in the field.<p>Third, an extremely cynical patent lawyer tells me the whole system is extremely fungible. This might mean that you can get out of infringement easily.<p>Forth, have any others tried to go against the patent and failed?