How to Evaluate the Retail Opportunity of a Product
What Inventors Need to Know… Most independent inventors want to license their invention to a retailer. Usually an inventor does not have the experience nor the money to market, manufacture and distribute a product on their own. So when I ask an inventor if I had a magic wand and instantly gave you a patent, […]
Buffalo Law Journal Report on Intellectual Property
The Buffalo Law Journal May Special Report focusing on Intellectual Property is now available. Thanks to Matt Chandler and the staff at Buffalo Law Journal for allowing me to author a guest column in this months issue. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, here is a sneak peek at what’s inside: […]
IP.com Global Patent Search
What Inventors Need to Know… The “IP.com Global Patent Search” tool may be your answer if you’re looking for a free and easy way to search for prior art patents. The speed of this search engine is amazing. It finds a result almost immediately. IP.com offers a free search engine box to be integrated into […]
Patent Reform Act of 2010: An Overview
Is the United States patent system broken and does it need to be fixed? Can our governmental leaders fix the patent system through legislation? Patent reform legislation has been introduced in each of past three Congresses and has yet to be ratified. Through the current Reform Act it is hoped that better patents are issued, […]
“Burger King” Steals McDonald’s McMuffin Recipe
How do you protect your intellectual property? What is intellectual property? Is a special sandwich that you make better than anybody else intellectual property? Imagine you are the owner of a new restaurant who has created a new edible masterpiece. And subsequently, to your surprise, you discover that a copycat sandwich is being made across […]
Patent Law Reform Act of 2010: Interview with Congressman Lee
What is happening with regard to the Patent Reform Act of 2010? Recently I asked this and other questions to first term Congressman Chris Lee, who represents New York’s 26th Congressional District. I think it’s important to note that Chris Lee, true to his pro-entrepreneurial stance, has taken the initiative to advocate for Research and […]
The Provisional Patent Application
What Inventors Need to Know… Inventors often ask me “can I get a provisional patent?” But there is no such thing as a “Provisional patent.” A provisional patent application is a patent application that is used by a patent applicant to secure a filing date. A provisional patent application never matures into a patent. And […]
What Executives Make of Innovation
Tweet of the week Thanks to @StrongerAmerica for tweeting this week about the importance of making innovation a top priority in corporate America. James Andrew, senior partner and head of the global innovation practice at Boston Consulting Group, authors this article for Business Week. The difference between a company whose CEO and leadership team have […]
Inventor Dean Kamen Makes New Prosthetic Arm
Many US Soldiers have recently lost limbs in the service to the United States and now look to Dean Kamen to design a prosthetic arm that will make their lives less of a struggle. Kamen is best known for inventing the Segway PT. He also founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a […]
“Patent Reform Act of 2010″ and Best Mode Requirement
The patent reform legislation has been amended and introduced in the Senate as Amendment to S. 515 (“Patent Reform Act of 2010 (.PDF)″). When and if it will ever be enacted is a question in and of itself, however here is my summary of one of the more relevant sections of the proposed patent reform […]