Negotiating with the big G ???

[blokh]

I figured out a major shortcoming on Google Adwords and all other Search Engines ...

It is something that IF Google incorporates, could just give them a HUGE(r) list of VERY satisfied customers. All Warriors who are into PPC on Adwords would just freak out along with the other millions of affiliates.

Now I built a solution for that problem and want to offer it to Google, unless I get turned down by them, which is when I will try and speak with Yahoo or MSN. The best way to get in touch with them, that I could find was through Google

I sent them my proposal though I did not mention anything about how much or what do I expect, I just told them, this is what I figured out, and I have a solution for it, if you are interested, let's talk about it.

What should be the next step if I DO hear back from them. What I am talking about is surely something pretty significant. All I can tell you right now is that we guys (me and you - IMs using Adwords) collectively have spent a few million dollars finding ways around it.

What are the odds that a company like Google would hear your discovery (because that is the first thing they want to know - What shortcoming are you talking about), and just go around finding solutions to it without giving me any credit or buying my solution? If you think the odds are high, what can I do to protect myself, instead of spending $18000 on filing a patient then giving it a shot.

[Aaron Moser]

Originally Posted by blokh

I figured out a major shortcoming on Google Adwords and all other Search Engines ...

It is something that IF Google incorporates, could just give them a HUGE(r) list of VERY satisfied customers. All Warriors who are into PPC on Adwords would just freak out along with the other millions of affiliates.

Now I built a solution for that problem and want to offer it to Google, unless I get turned down by them, which is when I will try and speak with Yahoo or MSN. The best way to get in touch with them, that I could find was through Google

I sent them my proposal though I did not mention anything about how much or what do I expect, I just told them, this is what I figured out, and I have a solution for it, if you are interested, let's talk about it.

What should be the next step if I DO hear back from them. What I am talking about is surely something pretty significant. All I can tell you right now is that we guys (me and you - IMs using Adwords) collectively have spent a few million dollars finding ways around it.

What are the odds that a company like Google would hear your discovery (because that is the first thing they want to know - What shortcoming are you talking about), and just go around finding solutions to it without giving me any credit or buying my solution? If you think the odds are high, what can I do to protect myself, instead of spending $18000 on filing a patient then giving it a shot.

Why would you want to tell them about your discovery and not try to exploit it for your own financial gain?

You can be certain that they'll have their own engineers fix the problem and won't care about your solution to fix it.

You were better off keeping it to yourself!

Now if my PPC campaigns get messed up I'll know who to blame.

[Bill Farnham]

blokh,

These are just some thoughts based on years of experience as a professional inventor. Your milage may vary, and this is not legal advice.

There is a huge hurdle to overcome when you are submitting ideas to large companies. The biggest one is the NIH syndrome. That stands for Not Invented Here. Large companies have huge staffs that are paid to come up with good ideas and as a rule they feel defensive about blessing outside ideas as something the company should invest in.

Additionally, now that you have offered your idea for sale you have just started the clock ticking for the time limits that Patent issuers have in place in order to get Patent protection for your idea. In the USA this is one year from the date you sent Google the idea. You need to file a Patent on your idea within that one year window or you lose the right to file and protect your idea.

And since any idea that Google will use will need worldwide Patent protection that means that Patents will have to be filed in a large number of countries. There are some protocols that I will not get into here, but I can tell you the dollars needed to do this could fund a Presidential campaign.

If you had no prior agreement with Google that they will not use your idea without compensating you, and you do not get a Patent issued at a later date, they are under no obligation to pay you anything.

If this idea is Patentable you can still be in the drivers seat here. This will require large sums of money upfront. Patent law is one of the most expensive legal venues on the planet. If you file for a patent, and that Patent application is genuine, you can then sell the rights to the Patent once it is issued. You can even Assign your rights before the Patent gets issued.

Assigning the rights is either giving them away or selling them. You can Assign the rights and get paid either a royalty, or an upfront fee for the work you put in. I've done this a few times and my best deal paid me close to $300K. So I know it can be profitable if you follow all the necessary steps.

If you do ever talk to Google you will need to have an agreement drawn up that stipulates that you are going to disclose proprietary information that you believe will ultimately be granted protection. You can only get protection on the Claims for your invention, so you need to have those in stone before you talk to Google.

If you do not know what the Claims for your invention will be you need to do some research in that area. You can't protect 'What' the idea will do for Google, you can only protect the 'How' of your idea. Those are the Claims that the Patents will contain.

I'm starting to right a book here so I'll just end this by telling you to never give up on a potentially profitable idea. Just find out how to get your ducks in a row and keep them there. Find out the necessary steps and follow them. These things are truly hit or miss, but every now and then...

KJ