I didn't really reverse-engineer much. Most of it was just common sense, though I did look at their board a bit to figure out the inter-node level shifters (and I think I improved on some parts of that just a little bit).
I've standardized a design/interface? Which part?
If by "record time" you mean "over a month behind the initial timeline", then yes.
I think trying to patent anything we come up with will probably cost more than, basically, the whole rest of the project. I'm not sure tuning code is actually a patentable idea, since it's been done before on other hardware. I dunno, I think you're complimenting our efforts too highly - but maybe that's because I'm pretty disappointed so far.
"Most of it was just common sense, ..." For you'all easy-peasy, for the majority not so much.
"I've standardized a design/interface?" chip chain design and USB interface.
"If by "record time" you mean "over a month behind the initial timeline", then yes." Apply the 80/20 rule. 80% gets accomplished in 20% of the time allotted, the remaining 20% of the work takes 80% of the time.
Or stated another way, figure out how long you think it's going to take (in hours, days, months, etc), double the number and increment to the next time measurement metric. So something I think will take 2 hours really takes 4 days.
Using the later estimation method, I'd say you're way ahead of schedule.
For my own projects I always add on an additional 10%. I lovingly call that additional time my "fudge factor". I include it to compensate for all the unknowns that can't be budgeted for. Like staff being called away for family emergencies (family first, rightfully so), supply chain delays, natural disasters, and a million other things that can't be anticipated. Project management is a combination of math and art. It's not a precise science, it's a fuzzy science.
Patent protection doesn't protect what you've spent. Patent protection protects what a thing/idea is worth. It protects future value. It's a time constrained value estimation.
"I'm not sure tuning code is actually a patentable idea, since it's been done before on other hardware." But likely not the way you're going to do it, on the H/W you're working with. That makes it distinctive, and hence patentable. And probably worth protecting. Even if you only improve how it was done in the past, that improvement is patentable, and again, I believe, worth protecting. You deserve to be paid equitably for your effort, because it's not something everyone else can do.
Now I'm gonna' shut up, quit distracting you, and let you get on with your day.
