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Originally Posted by Erin Rapacki
I've heard stories that some large oil companies buy-up inventors' patents for more environmentally friendly technologies (auto engines for example). They tend to squash the idea before it puts them out of business.
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Starting a rumor like this is as easy as just making it up and telling it to someone. There's really no substance to these rumors for one main reason. US patent law states that if an invention is not dilligently pursued by its owner, the patent will be cancelled. This is exactly to stop the sort of thing you're talking about.
I think rumors like these just come from people who hate big companies, and like to pretend that they are conspiring against people every day.
If oil companies are really doing this, then why is Toyota selling so many hybrid cars that it can't even make them fast enough?