A. The Goal Is to Make Money and Not to Merely Get a Patent.

A patent defines a piece of intellectual property. Analogous to the size of a parcel of land, the size of a patent (usually referred to as its scope) is critical in determining its value. Patents prepared and/or prosecuted with little forethought about the end game, which is selling or licensing the invention, often have no value.

For a small business or startup, the entire company value may lie in the strength of its patents, because without meaningful patent protection, large companies can simply copy the products of a smaller competitor.