How did Gordon Gould eventually win laser patents?

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Laser components: cutaway view — laser Basic laser components.

Gordon Gould’s path to securing laser patents was a decades-long legal battle. After conceiving the idea in 1957, Gould followed the advice of Charles Townes to document and notarize his concepts. However, because he delayed his patent application until 1959 to focus on building a prototype, his initial filing was rejected in favor of applications by Townes and Arthur Schawlow.1

Gould challenged this outcome by using his notarized notebook as primary evidence to prove his priority of invention. Following extensive litigation, he successfully overturned the previous awards and was granted the first of four basic U.S. laser patents in 1977. Even after this victory, he faced further resistance from the laser industry, which sought to avoid paying royalties; Gould finally prevailed against these challenges in 1987.1