Was the Laser Patented?
Yes, it was. Gordon Gould, its inventor, fought against several Laser manufacturers as well as the Patent office in USA for nearly 38 years before obtaining Patent rights for it.
Does deception exist in the world of Patents?
Yes, it does. Are you aware that in 1963, a teenager came up with a quick release ratchet? Sears convinced him that it was valueless and paid only $10,000 for it. Later on, Sears exploited the idea, started producing the ratchets and made about $ 44 million.
Can a Patent be invalidated?
Yes, a Patent can be declared invalid for various reasons. For instance, The US Supreme Court made invalid Patents for BRCA1 & BRCA2, breast cancer genes invented by Myriad Genetics.