Thread regarding Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) layoffs

HP may have got wise to the fact that some prolific patent application submitters were making more money from the patent application bonuses (and higher bonus if it eventually made it through the system) than their base salary.

I used to be in R&D and submitted a few and got plaques for some. I did know people who submitted dozens and dozens. No idea how many were ultimately accepted, but for sure the hired lawyers were happy to help, and it let HP add it to their inventory of IP that they might be able to monetize beyond using it in their own products.

Agile? On a hardware or software team?

Hihi, as if there is much of inventing something going on at HP/HPE...

I just know that we are overloaded with work, we introduced some Agile methods forced on us by top-management. But we do it not right at all, because some things/behaviors never change - especially if management is involved. So: no time to even think about some creative/innovative.

It used to be different. A while ago, we were asked to reserve some time for innovation. Good old times.

I don't have the technical skillset to invent something that HPE would use...but that said: My gut feeling is that if HPE could screw you out of anything they will. I suspect it will be the same with DXC.

"Any inventors out there experience or see similar things?"

Quite a while after I left HP and while I was totally consumed with getting my own business off the ground I got an official letter from a District Court "Commanding" me to appear. My patent was the subject of a suit with another computer company. They used to pay $1000 for a patent. Totally not worth it. If you have left HP and have materials related to a patent then get rid of them, you will be commanded to produce them in court. You don't have to keep that stuff. Finally, after consulting an attorney (they had offered to provide me with an attorney ... I declined) I was told that the limit of my duty was to answer questions, that's all. If they ask you to read something, you are working for them and you don't have to. My attorney asked me if I remembered anything about the patent and i could truthfully tell him that I didn't (20 years and 8 more patents later). He advised me to remember that and answer the same. Of course, if you do want to return to work under these circumstances then it's probably appropriate to ask for a painful hourly fee to keep them honest and not waist your time (which they will do).