I've always been a bit suspicious of software patents - perhaps not all, but the silly ones(1) are what everyone talks about - but now I find a situation where patenting a technique (method? what's the right word?) that I first implemented a few years ago might be a good idea in a specific current situation.

Also, it seems like everyone is getting them so I may some day get a bill from someone whose patent I've accidentally infringed, so there is a defensive angle to the thing.

I've read various articles(3)(4) about how to do this and I've printed out some software patents and read through them, trying to figure out how to state my application. I've got an appointment with an attorney/patent agent Monday afternoon (I picked her out of a list because she majored in math) but I'm wondering:

- Really, how much should I expect this to cost? - How can I do it for less? - How long does it take until patent is awarded? - Can I license the method to someone before the patent is awarded? - How do you choose a patent agent/attorney or do you even need to? (I know you don't HAVE to, but is it a good idea?) - What am I not aware of that I'll later wish I had known about?

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

  1) http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/amazonpatent.html 

  2) http://www.paulgraham.com/softwarepatents.html 

  3) http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/howtopat.htm 
  4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent