So you’ve brought something new and wonderful into this world. At first reading, you may think we’re referring to the magic of parenthood, but we’re actually talking about a different kind of creation (though you might consider it your “baby”). For some, it’s a formula or for others, it’s a design or even a whole new invention, the likes of which the world has never seen. Regardless, your hard work and research have finally paid off so give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve done all you’ve set out to do… now what? Well, to protect the intellectual property of your creation, you’ll need to patent it (if your invention isn’t patentable, there may be other IP protection available). Unfortunately, unlike the excitement that comes with inventing, the patenting process is a bit arduous. To help you out, here are some general time estimates for the patent process:

Disclaimer: Davison is not a law firm and does not provide patent services or other legal services. The information being presented is factual in nature and is not offered as, nor may it be taken as, legal advice. Any legal questions should be directed to a competent patent attorney or patent agent.

Step-by-Step: Navigating the Patent Process

Patent Process Step 1: Patent Searching (15 minutes to several weeks)

This first step involves searching for other patents, products or information in existence that may be similar to yours. While a search isn’t required to submit an application, it is an important step. This way, when you apply, you’ll be sure to avoid claiming features that already exist. You can do this yourself; however, if you’re not experienced at performing patent searches, you may want to work with a patent attorney/agent. If working with a patent attorney/agent, the time can vary depending on the case, but typically can be done in a manner of weeks.

Patent Process Step 2: What kind of patent?

This step involves simply making sure you’re aware of what type of patent to file for. This way you’re filling out the proper paperwork. There are three types of categories to consider:

Utility, Design, or Plant Patent?

a) Utility Patent: A utility patent may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new or useful process, machine, composition of matter, article of manufacture, or any new useful improvement thereof.

b) Design Patent: A design patent may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, or ornamental design for an article of manufacture.

c) Plant Patent: A plant patent may be granted to anyone who discovers or invents and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.

Patent Process Step 3: Drafting a Patent Application (Several weeks to several months)

Once you’ve done your research and figured out what type of patent you’ll be applying for, it’s time for the next step- apply! At this stage, you’ll be required to put together the patent application. If you complete an application yourself, the process would simply be as long as it takes you to form a draft without errors. But again, if you lack experience, a patent attorney/agent is strongly recommended. Similarly to the patent search stage, an attorney/agent could take anywhere between several weeks to several months complete the application. This depends on the type of patent, the volume of work, and information provided by the client. At the very least, you should have a patent attorney/agent review your work.

If your invention needs a Utility Patent, you’ll have to decide whether to file a Provisional or Non-provisional application.

a) Provisional: a quick, informal and less-expensive application process. This applicant is not examined by the USPTO and is only valid for a year. That time allows an applicant to seek funding or test the marketability of the invention before incurring the added expense of a non-provisional application.

b) Non-provisional: Only a non-provisional application can lead to the issuance of a patent. The process of filing one is a lot longer and more expensive than a Provisional form.

Patent Process Step 4: File to Acceptance (7 months to 23.9 months)

At this point, your patent will have a ‘Patent Pending’ status. Don’t get too excited when you see 7 months up there, though. Typically the only cases where a patent is approved within a 7 month period is if it’s what’s called a Track One, which just means it’s prioritized. This can only apply to plant or utility applications and has different requirements, including a much larger fee than a normal non-provisional patent application.

Per the USPTO, the current estimated time for review from a Patent Examiner (or First Office Action) is 15.7 months (or 1.7 months for Track One) and the average wait to actually get a final determination (notice of allowance or final rejection) is 23.9 months. A provisional application is not examined and gives the applicant one year from that date to file for a non-provisional patent.

The non-provisional patent application process is lengthy because, at any given time, the USPTO has hundreds of thousands of patent applications to process. For example, in 2015, 629,647 applications were filed. Compare this to the mere 7,966 Patent Examiners working as of 2014.

We know this process can be overwhelming for some, and, for anyone feeling a little out of their depth, a patent attorney/agent can be very helpful. Our patent attorney, David DeMay, empathizes with those who get overwhelmed with the process, stating, “It certainly can be overwhelming, particularly if you are unfamiliar with government bureaucracy. There are numerous federal statutes and regulations that need to be followed and failing to follow proper procedure can have negative effects on the individual’s rights. That is why the USPTO requires every patent attorney/agent to pass the Patent Bar Exam before they are permitted to represent another individual in patent matters.”

Overall, there’s no one size fits all timeline for the patent process. It’s kind of like ordering from your favorite Etsy shop, the delivery timeline is just a rough estimate. Sometimes you’re pleasantly surprised, and other times you’re left waiting longer than you bargained for. The keys to getting through the process are to take your time, be detailed/thorough, and most of all – be patient. If you’re able to do all of this then, eventually, your invention or creation will legally be yours.

How do you feel after learning about those simple four steps to get a patent? Do you know what kind of patent would work for your idea? Are you ready to research your idea?

Click HERE to connect with a Davison invention team member.

SaveSave

The post The Patent Process: A Timeline For Patenting appeared first on Davison.

A Roman judge in Alexandria, Vitruvius, tried and found multiple poets guilty of stealing poems. The theft was revealed during a literary contest. Similar cases in first century Rome include literacy piracy. Despite the importance of these events, there is no known law from ancient Rome regarding intellectual property theft.

Earliest Patent Systems

The first real patent system wouldn’t be enacted until centuries later. The Venetian Act of 1474 streamlined the patenting process and made them easier to apply for. Until then, Europe had the concept of patents, but there were no set standards. They were issued on an individual basis upon request. The Act meant the patent had to be for something one-of-a-kind and useful. This remains the standard for patent applications around the world to this day, including in the United States.

That’s not to say that there weren’t any forms of intellectual property protection throughout Medieval times, but they were less structured than formal patents. In larger cities, guilds would be formed to protect the knowledge of certain crafts. As only guild members could learn the craft, such as glassmaking, this raised the commercial value of the products in the region. Venetian glassmakers were highly regulated, with everything from working days to ingredients monitored closely. It nearly created a monopoly in the glass industry. While featuring the same protective features of patents, these were all self-contained and had no influence from the government.

Queen Elizabeth I and Patents

Queen Elizabeth made many changes to how patents worked in England during her reign. Early on, she sent letters encouraging other countries to bring their manufacturing technology and new products to England. At first, it worked, bringing in foreigners and helping her country grow in multiple industries. As years passed, however, she used her same policies to issue patents on everything, including long-established trade and techniques. This resulted in Parliament attempting to legislate against monopolies- something Elizabeth was able to pacify them from doing.

King James Changes the Rules

With a change in ruler came a change in the power of patents. In 1624, King James I made a royal proclamation that abolished the Brehon Laws and introduced English common law instead. Once incorporated into the Statute of Monopolies 1623, it limited the power a monarch would have regarding patents. Under the new law, patents could only be given to inventors of an original creation during a certain window of time. While it caused some upset and didn’t fully end patent abuse, it is still notable for creating a fairer system.

US Patents

The history of the United States and patent law is as equally turbulen as Europe’s. The first US Patent Act only lasted three years, from 1790 to 1793. It was then quickly replaced with a new Patent Act which functioned on an examination system. This further prevented abuse by having the product examined before the patent was issued. While the modern American patent system doesn’t quite resemble that from 1790, the standard for applying for a patent is more or less the same.

A third Patent Act was passed in 1836, to combat problems created by the previous two. It marked the creation of the Patent Office. The Secretary of State was no longer responsible for issuing patents, although the task still fell within the jurisdiction of the Department of the State. The new act also required that patent information be accessible in public libraries, thus preventing repeat patents. The addition of a seven-year extension to the existing fourteen-year patent was introduced as well. Additionally, immigrants could now apply for patents in the United States. It also raised the standards for American patents.

Patent Law Criticism

Every change has its critics- especially in England, where free trade economics reigned supreme. Patent law began to be criticized in the 1850s, believing it hindered research and served little good to the general public. Adrian Johns, a modern patent historian, summarizes the main complaints from the public in his book Piracy:

“[Patents] projected an artificial idol of the single inventor, radically denigrated the role of the intellectual commons, and blocked a path to this commons for other citizens — citizens who were all, on this account, potential inventors too. […] Patentees were the equivalent of squatters on public land — or better, of uncouth market traders who planted their barrows in the middle of the highway and barred the way of the people.”

The Depression of 1890 did not help matters in America. In an already strained economy, patents seemed to be promoting monopolies. Courts attempted to invalidate patents and the government had to intervene. President Benjamin Harrison introduced the Sherman Antitrust Act, which prohibited agreements and conduct that would attempt to monopolize a market. It should be noted, however, that this was to combat artificial monopoly through restricting trade and inflating prices. “Innocent monopoly,” or a monopoly achieved on pure merit, remained legal under the new system.

Patents in the 20th Century

Before we return to worldwide patent law, a quick recap of the last century or so of American laws will bring us up to date. In 1952, a new Patent Act was issued. The amendment required the inventor to not only describe their creation but also how it could be infringed upon. It also dictated all patents should be for “non-obvious” inventions- i.e., not for the steering wheel of a car or a spring in a Slinky. As the atmosphere grew more pro-patent, Congress created the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to hear all appeals regarding patents beginning in 1982. 2011 saw the switch from “first to invent” to “first inventor to file” after the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act.

1980 saw the change to patents on a global scale, all thanks to one case. A microbiologist for General Electric, Anand Chakrabarty, filed an application to patent a bacterium he genetically engineered to break down crude oil. At the time, no one had attempted to patent a living organism. The patent was rejected, but the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals overturned the USPTS decision and held that the patent should be issued. The case was taken to the Supreme Court, and Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote the majority opinion that the bacteria could be patented. Craig Nard, director of the Intellectual Property Center at Ohio’s Case Western Reserve University, cites this as jumpstarting the biotech industry.

Backtracking a bit, many countries, particularly those in the British Empire like India and New Zealand, followed British patent laws until the 1850s. TUnder British rule, citizens from these nations were at a disadvantage when it came to patents. Once the countries gained their freedom, however, they swiftly abolished the old English laws and established their own systems. Many of them still closely resemble European systems and have their own share of reforms and addendums. Still, it gave them a chance to share their inventions globally without fear of theft. New Zealand was actually among the top 5 patent offices in 2006.

Present Day Patent Laws

Finally, we reach the present day. While America is still among the world’s largest patent offices, it was rapidly outpaced by China. Of the approximate 1.98 million patent applications filed in 2012, 526,412 were filed in China. The United States was in a close second with 503,582 patents filed. Thomson Reuters researchers predicted China would outpace the USA in 2005, and the prediction was brought to life. (For the record, the other three offices belong in Europe as a whole, Japan, and South Korea.)

Patents play a large part in encouraging creativity and innovation in the world. Because each patent must be unique and “non-obvious,” it encourages inventors to think outside usual limits and create something truly original. But constant change through new laws and amendments impact both inventors and consumers and require adjustment in the approach to patenting.  Patents remain a complicated piece of the already massive jigsaw puzzle that is the world of inventing and innovation.

(SIDEBAR ON CAVEATS: Patent caveats were briefly available in the United States. Like traditional patents, it described an illustration or invention but did not have the full examination into the patentable subject manner and patent claims. It was merely a notice on the intention of filing for a proper patent, expiring after one year. Provisional applications today are somewhat similar but have significant differences. Caveats could be issued between 1836 and 1909, before being abolished by the US government.)

The post The Global History of Patents appeared first on Davison.

NOTE: While this is a general guide to follow, there are quirks and minor details not covered below. It’s also important to know what the umbrella term of “intellectual property” means, as it can refer to copyrights, trademarks, and patents, or any combination of the three. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, “intellectual property” is defined as “creations of the mind: inventions; literary and artistic works; and symbols, names, and images used in commerce.”

TRADEMARK

A trademark protects a symbol, word, slogan, design, name, and/or image that identifies the source of goods or services. For example, the smiling face logo of Wal-Mart is trademarked, as is the slogan “Save Money, Live Better.” Owning the trademark is basically a notice of ownership that the public can see. Registered trademarks are the ones that can use the ® symbol to defend their work.

If you own a trademark and see somebody using it without permission, you can sue for infringement. However, this only applies to the country you’ve registered the trademark in- if it hasn’t been registered there, your legal rights are much less powerful. A trademark is valid for an unlimited amount of time, as long as it is used in commerce, but must be renewed every 10 years or it lapses.

Of additional note is the term “service mark.” This is for the slogans, symbols, logos, and words associated with a service, not a place to purchase goods. Ronald McDonald and other icons associated with McDonald’s are protected under service mark.

PATENTS

Patents are for inventors and designers. Machines, chemical combinations, specific processes, or even the design of a product can be patented. Unlike trademarks and copyrights, it cannot be renewed. When the twenty-year patent term expires, the item in question becomes part of the public domain. However, during that time, the owner has the right to exclude others from making, using or selling the invention.

While many items that are patented remain under the protection of their creator, others may choose to sell them to companies and enjoy royalties from the sales. The company takes over the ownership of the item and most of the sales, while the inventor gets a base sum after selling the item and small payments with each purchase of the product.

Patents and trademarks are both served out of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, at least in America. There are also three types of patents you can apply for: a design patent, a plant patent, and a utility patent. Each variety has its own paperwork and system to filing.

COPYRIGHTS

This applies to the work of many creative types.  Copyrights are automatically granted upon creation of an original work. Artists, choreographers, musicians, authors, architects, and other creative professionals also can register a copyright for their work. However, the work must be in a tangible state; it’s impossible to copyright just an idea. Some copyrights are part of a larger trademark. For example, the video game Overwatch and its logo are trademarked to Blizzard, but the mascot character of Tracer is copywritten.

Also, much like a trademark, a copyright is a public notice of ownership. It’s legal evidence that can be used to sue those who infringe upon your work, so long as the paperwork is in order. A copyright never has to be renewed and is valid for life various terms, depending on whether or not the work is for hire. If not for hire, the current copyright duration is for the life of the creator, plus 70 years.

Within the United States, the Copyright Office is part of the Library of Congress. Most copyrighted works are subject to the Fair Use doctrine, or how said products can be used without permission in the public domain. Parodying a song or showcasing footage of a video game in a review is allowed under Fair Use. Uploading an entire movie to YouTube for others to watch for free, on the other hand, is not. This has been the source of some controversy lately as the definition of Fair Use evolves and shifts.

Again, this guide is by no means all-encompassing. There are many details that weren’t covered in the above descriptions and you should not consider this legal advice. Nevertheless, hopefully, you understand the basic differences between ©, ®, and now and what types of protection are available.

Now that you were able to learn about trademarks, copyright, and patents you hopefully have a better understanding of where to head next on your inventors’ journey.  Not sure about what steps to take next? Check out our inventor quiz to help you learn what kind of inventor you are!

The post Copyright, Patent, and Trademark: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Davison.

THE INTERNET

Granted, it’s somewhat difficult to patent a concept like the internet, but Sir Tim Berners-Lee made a conscious decision not to accept royalties. He believed the World Wide Web should be freely available to the masses, leading him to never seek a patent on the website he first launched in 1991. In fact, a major contributing factor to why he won the 2004 Millenium Technology Prize was because he recognized how much his creation would contribute to humanity. When accepting his award, he insists the internet never would have succeeded if he charged for his invention: “If I had tried to demand fees…there would be no World Wide Web. There would be lots of small webs.”

THE COMPUTER MOUSE

The computer mouse was patented, at least for a short while. Douglas Engelbart first invented the mouse in 1963, but the patent expired in 1987, just before it would explode in popularity in the mainstream. He never sought out royalties, however, and passed away in 2013. Still, his invention is one that we continue to use daily. Fun fact: the first mouse was carved out of wood and only had one button…because that’s all there was room for.

EMOTICONS

The very first smiley, as they were once called, was designed by American artist Harvey Ball. His task was to design an image to boost morale at an insurance company in 1963, but it quickly spread outside of the office. Ball declined to register a copyright and was paid only $45 for the original design. Of course, emoticons and smileys would eventually evolve into emojis, a movement in their own right. According to Wikipedia, Ball’s smiley has three unique features: “Narrow oval eyes (with the right slightly larger than the one on the left), a bright sunny yellow color, and a mouth that is not a perfect arc.” When Ball died in 2001, the land owned by his family was purchased by the city of Worcester, MA and the “Harvey Ball Conservation Area” was created with the aptly named “Smiley Face Trail.”

THE KARAOKE MACHINE

We have Daisuke Inoue to thank for the staple of Japanese bars and teenage sleepovers the world over. His invention, the karaoke machine, is one of the most accessible and recognizable pieces of technology available to people of all incomes. But he never patented it, leading him to never benefit from the sales globe-wide- or the slew of cheap imitators and knockoffs. The word karaoke, in case you were wondering, actually means “empty orchestra” and the most popular song requested by budding singers is “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson.

THE ASSAULT RIFLE

Whether you agree with the existence of AK-47s or not, you must acknowledge their importance in history. In 1947, Mikhail Kalashnikov invented the weapon and it went into production. The original manufacturer for the gun has the patent, however, not Kalashnikov. He claims he created it for the good of his country and wanted no profit off it. Kalashnikov, who died in 2013, was also a lifelong poet and author of six books.

TETRIS

Strictly speaking, Tetris was patented- but the rights were owned by the Soviet Union. Alexey Pajitnov didn’t see any royalties until 1996 when he and Henk Rogers formed The Tetris Company. The name Tetris is a combination of the German prefix tetra- (which means four) and Patijnov’s favorite sport, tennis. In 1993, Tetris became the first video game in space when a Russian cosmonaut brought his Gameboy and Tetris game on a mission to the space station Mir.

MATCHES

Much like with Berners-Lee, chemist John Walker wanted to ensure his idea was free to the masses. His invention? The matchstick–able to create and transport fire with ease, even without a candle or other source nearby. The exact date of creation has been lost, but we know it to be sometime in the 1820s. In the 1970s, Walker’s hometown of Stockton-on-Tees attempted to commemorate him with a statute. Twenty years later, it was realized that the statute actually matched the likeness of a different man whose name was also John Walker and who happened to look similar to the town hero. The mistake was realized after consulting with the National Portrait Gallery and the statue was removed.

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES

In 1975, Cesar Milstein was given the chance to patent his medical breakthrough after being approached by Tony Vickers. Milstein agreed, but the National Research Development Corporation failed to file the patent due to being unable to “identify any immediate application.”  Today, six out of the ten best selling modern drugs are monoclonal antibodies. Milstein and his partner, Georges Kohler, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984 for their discovery.

MAGNETIC STRIP

We have Ron Klein to thank for the modern credit card. Before his creation, stores had to check numbers manually. Klein took the tape from reel-to-reels, created a scanner to read it, then affixed it to a plastic card. While he never patented the tech, his story was a successful one: his hundreds of other inventions have kept him rolling in royalties and is commonly known as “the grandfather of possibilities.”

FIDGET SPINNERS

Another case of “was patented, it lapsed, and then it exploded.” Catherine Hettinger first created the toy/fad but had to let her patent lapse when she couldn’t afford the $400 fee. Then, just last year, it became the hottest new meme and cheap rip-offs (and expensive luxury versions) were sold everywhere. A pity, because fidget spinners (when they’re of a decent quality) are fairly therapeutic. As a matter of fact, as smaller manufacturers began making fidget spinners, they were used as a tool for kids who struggle with behavioral issues such as ADHD, autism, and anxiety.

Should you seek out a patent for your idea? Maybe. But don’t be deterred if you can’t. After all, plenty of other ideas haven’t been, and they’ve survived just fine.

The post Inventions That Are (Surprisingly) Not Patented appeared first on Davison.

Before the Constitution, British colonial law and custom governed patents. Inventors could appeal to their local governments to secure commercial rights to their products. The earliest of these rights was in 1641, in Massachusetts, to Samuel Winslow for his salt-making method. By the end of the 18^th century, states began passing laws for general patents rather than relying on the case-by-case system. South Carolina holds the distinction for passing the first general patent act, “An Act for the Encouragement of Arts and Sciences.”

As for federal laws, the Constitution has a provision in Article I, Section 8: “The Congress shall have Power… To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” This was followed by the Patent Act of 1790, which gave the right to issue patents to three figures. Only the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, or the Attorney General could give their consent, and an applicant needed the approval of at least two before acceptance.

The Patent Act of 1790 was repealed or modified twice, once in 1793 and again in 1836. Both Acts made obtaining a patent much easier but at the cost of quality of the product being patented. It was the Act of 1836 that finally established the Patent Office and freed the Secretary of State from the overwhelming task of granting patents. Instead, a new role was created: the Commissioner of Patents.  The first commissioner was a man named Henry Leavitt Ellsworth. He was considered a forward-thinking man and early adapter to technology. Ellsworth granted patents for inventions such as Samuel Colt’s first revolver and Samuel Morse’s telegraph.

After 1836, only a few notable events occurred. A law was passed for patents to be submitted in double after a fire destroyed most of the patents, but this was dropped after the office started printing. In 1849, the Patent Office was shifted from the State Department to the Department of the Interior. It would remain there until 1925 when it was transferred to its current home of the Department of Commerce.

People began to view patents as monopolies sometime during the 1890 depression (and this viewpoint repeated itself during the Great Depression of the 1930s). To combat these fears, Senator John Sherman proposed the Sherman Antitrust Act. Designed to prevent the restriction of trade or supply that would result in monopolies, it was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison on July 2^nd, 1890. It should be pointed out that “innocent monopolies”- i.e., ones that occurred solely through merit- were still perfectly legal.

Not much changed regarding patents until 1952, when the entire structure was overturned. The applicant now had to describe their invention and their basis for its potential infringement. Additionally, the invention had to be useful, new, and non-obvious.” It was enacted to ensure the knowledge of an area wouldn’t be limited to only a select few.

The public stance on patents became positive again through the 1980s and 1990s, helped in part by the new Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. This was to replace the out-dated Court of Customs and Patent Appeals. Most notably, it sought to give inventors more protections over their ideas.

The last major change was in 2011 after the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act was passed. It swapped the system from “first to invent has the rights to the patent” to “the first inventor to file has the rights.” Before its passing, the United States had been the final country to use a “first to invent” system. The AIA also added reforms to prevent interference proceedings. Currently, utlity patents last for 20 years, starting from the filing date.

With the number of new inventions and discoveries each year, it’s almost certain patent law will evolve again in the future. For now, though, the broad and storied history of the protection of ideas is secure and working hard to keep visionaries and their creations safe.

Where would we be if in 1641 Samuel Winslow didn’t appeal to the Massachusetts local government for rights to his salt-making production process?
How about the Act of 1836 that created the Patent Office, and gave the position of Commissioner of Patents to Henry Ellsworth, a forward-thinking man? As you can see from above, inventors have always had different ways of thinking. Do you know your inventor personality? You may be an everyday Edison or perhaps a dynamic or critical inventor. Take our quiz below to find out which one you are!

SaveSave

SaveSave

The post A Brief History of Patents appeared first on Davison.

As the celebration of Black History Month is coming to a close, we wanted to place the spotlight on three contemporary African American inventors whose inventions have left their mark on society.

While we already featured famous historic African American inventors in our first installment, today we’re focusing on Lonnie G. Johnson, Dr. Patricia Bath and “King of Pop” Michael Jackson.

Let’s get started.

Lonnie G. Johnson

Every kid can thank Lonnie G. Johnson for maximizing their fun during a summer water fight. This former Senior Systems Engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who worked on the Galileo Mission to Jupiter, might be best known for his popular invention, the Super Soaker squirt gun – the most coveted piece of water-fight equipment. In just two years after being invented, it’s reported that Johnson’s money-making machine soaked in more than $200 million in sales! But, besides his success on the market, Johnson also holds more than 80 patents with over 20 additional pending patents.

Dr. Patricia Bath

As an internationally-recognized ophthalmologist and surgeon, Dr. Patricia Bath can be credited for her invention of the laser-powered Laserphaco Probe. This invention has given physicians the ability to vaporize cataracts in the matter of minutes. Additionally, Dr. Bath has committed her life’s work to find solutions to the ongoing problem of blindness in African Americans. Thanks to Dr. Bath’s invention, people can see clearly now!

Michael Jackson

Speaking of clearly seeing the man in mirror, we can thank the “King of Pop” for inventing some of the catchiest songs, but we can also thank him for his invention of the Anti-Gravity Shoe. In 1993, Jackson received a patent for this invention that would create an anti-gravity illusion. The invention helped the person wearing the shoes to lean forward beyond the center of gravity by way of a specially-designed heel slot. This slot was attached to the stage by a nail or a post. The person wearing the shoe would slide their foot forward and engage with the post to perform gravity-defying leans.

Check them out!

Though Black History Month is quickly coming to a close, we can thank these three contemporary African American inventors for their innovative contributions to society!

Copyright Davison, 2016

Source:

http://madamenoire.com/106958/contemporary-african-americans-inventors/

Images:

https://blackhistory_pvg.s3.amazonaws.com/lonnie-g-johnson/5146423977_f262630274.jpg

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/inventors/images/bath.jpg

http://www.everythingaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Smooth-Criminal-michael-jackson-7446671-2200-1487.jpg

http://d39ya49a1fwv14.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/michael-jackson-double-10.jpg

The post Celebrating Black History Month: Contemporary Inventors appeared first on Davison.

In Monday’s blog, we introduced the idea of failing your way forward. We showed you how failure isn’t the end. In fact, failure is just the beginning.

After sharing our founder and CEO George Davison’s story of failing forward, we were intrigued and did some investigating of our own to uncover other prominent inventors and idea people’s stories of failure that turned into success.

Without further ado, we’d like to share with you four famous idea people who failed their way forward!

Sir James Dyson

“Enjoy failure and learn from it. You can never learn from success.”

Vacuuming your home wouldn’t be the same if Sir James Dyson gave up on himself and his idea after countless failed attempts. By countless, we mean 5,126 failed prototypes, in addition to completely wiping out his savings over the course of 15 years. Little did Sir Dyson know that lucky number 5,127 would be the patent that turned his idea into reality! Now, Dyson is the best-selling bagless vacuum brand in America. It’s a story such as this that shows how failing forward, no matter how many times, can sometimes lead to major success!

Bill Gates

“It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.”

It might be hard to believe, but the co-founder of Microsoft endured his own setbacks. In fact, in high school, Gates along with fellow Microsoft co-found Paul Allen created Traf-O-Data. Though they were paid for their efforts, the business ultimately failed. After high school, Gates went on to attend Harvard but eventually dropped out! Though some would consider dropping out of Harvard as a failure, Gates saw it as an opportunity to pursue programming. In the end, Gates used both of these events in his life to propel himself forward and to create what we now know as Microsoft.

Thomas Edison

“I failed my way to success.”

What would you do if you were told that you’re “too stupid to learn anything?” For some, that would cripple any attempts at chasing after their dreams, but for Edison, when his teachers told him that he was “too stupid to learn anything” he used their words as motivation to fail forward. Even after being fired from not one, but two jobs, Edison still pushed forward to chase after his dreams. If he had succumbed to these roadblocks in his life, we wouldn’t have the inventions that changed the course of our lives as we know them, including the practical electrical lamp, the phonograph and, of course, the movie camera. Naysayers couldn’t deter Edison; rather they propelled him to fail forward and ultimately have more than 1,000 patents credited to his name!

John Logie Baird

Finally, in case you missed it, yesterday marked the 90-year celebration of John Logie Baird’s television invention! His mechanical television, also known as “the televisor,” was much like a radio. The difference was that his invention included a rotating mechanism that generated video to accompany the sound. Though his invention preceded the modern television, when he publicly demonstrated his invention in 1926 in Soho in front of members from the Royal Institution and a Journalist from the times, his idea wasn’t warmly accepted. In fact, the journalist didn’t see a future for this invention. But, that wasn’t the worst of it. Baird approached the Daily Express newspaper with his invention and they actually kicked him out. Talk about a failed attempt. But Baird didn’t let that failure deter him; he instead used it to fail forward and in 1927 he transmitted content a whopping 438 miles through a telephone line between London and Glasnow.

As you can see, even the most famous idea people have endured their fair share of failure along the way. However, it’s how they handled these obstacles that ultimately led them to their profound success.

Rather than letting failure define them, these idea people failed forward. Look how amazing their ideas turned out!

If you’re ready to chase after your inventing dreams with the Davison Inventing Method, submit your invention idea today!

Copyright Davison, 2016

Sources:

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2010/02/16/50-famously-successful-people-who-failed-at-first/

http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-people-who-failed-at-first-2015-7

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/google-doodle/12121474/Who-invented-the-television-John-Logie-Baird-created-the-TV-in-1926.html

Images:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/James_Dyson_in_February_2013.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4011/4368494308_8f2bd992e4_o_d.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Thomas_edison_gl%C3%BChbirne.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/16178156208_fd3fa7a5a3_o_d.jpg

The post These Famous Idea People Failed Their Way Forward appeared first on Davison.

As the holiday season is upon us, we can’t help but think of all the innovative and creative minds that are behind those products that are flying off the store shelves as people continue to cross items off of their holiday wish lists.

So often, inventors with big ideas get hung up on the need for patents before a project even goes from ideation to a working concept model for testing.

Sure, in a blog that we wrote a few weeks ago, we put the spotlight on Lowell Wood, an inventor who surpassed Thomas Edison as America’s leading patent holder with 1,085 patents to his name.

Despite that amazing fact, today, we are going to discuss the topic of why some say it’s not always important to aspire to be a patent holder and to rather, aspire to see ideas in the marketplace!

Every year, hundreds of thousands of patented ideas never make it to the market. As we mentioned before, sometimes people get too caught up in “protecting” their idea, more than they are concerned with developing their idea.

Fear is often the motivator for people to jump right in to patenting their idea before it’s ready for that step. As we always say, invention ideas change over time; an initial product idea can have multiple iterations before its design is finalized.

Now, we aren’t discounting the value of a patent; after all, it is an important tool. But according to Tamara Monosoff, established author and contributing writer to Entrepreneur Magazine, it’s not the fast pass to success. Monosoff suggests that steps should be taken to validate your product and its potential success before a patent is filed.

That’s why she finds it important for a person, before he or she even considers patenting an idea, to ask themselves important questions regarding their invention idea. These questions may include:

• Can the product be manufactured?
• What’s the need for this idea?
• Is this invention idea marketable?

To that point, Monosoff suggests that before you pursue your idea and protect it, you should do your own research to see if your product is needed on the market and if your idea has the potential to be a viable business opportunity.

In the end, once you’ve done your research and determined whether or not there are roadblocks to your success, you can then ask yourself the question, “To patent or not to patent?”

If you have a new product idea that you would like to pursue – Let us help you with your idea!

Copyright Davison, 2015

The opinions of Tamara Monosoff are hers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Davison.  Davison does not offer or provide research or opinions concerning market potential or the viability of a business opportunity.

Sources:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/80088

Image:

http://immortaldc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/patent-approved.jpg

The post Are Patents That Important? appeared first on Davison.

Tomorrow, people all over the United States will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day! In the spirit of giving, we thought that we’d share with you three Thanksgiving inventions!

Ideas come in all shapes and sizes and work to solve a myriad of problems. These three Thanksgiving invention patents were created to solve holiday problems that you never knew existed.

Without further ado, we introduce to you, three Thanksgiving inventions:

Pumpkin Powder – Though it doesn’t sound very appetizing, the invention of pumpkin powder in 1897 was created with the idea of mashing the edible substance of a pumpkin, squash or sweet potato into powder or meal form. From there, this powdery substance could then be combined with water or milk to make pies without having to be cooked before baking.

Pie Filling Device – To build on the latter pie idea, this Thanksgiving invention from 1986 was created to fill pie shells with a fluid filling within a hot oven, via a pumping apparatus. The Pie Filling Device was invented to help alleviate the problem of having to fill pie shells while they are cooking in the oven.

Automatic Mashed Potato System – This more recent Thanksgiving invention idea from 2007 was created in an effort to solve the problem of the time-consuming, inconsistent conventional potato-mashing process. The Automatic Mashed Potato System works in a way that the potatoes would be fed through a unit in the upper cavity of the product that would then pass through a seasoning unit onto a removable collection tray where the seasoned mashed potatoes would collect. From there you can say “voila!” because you’ve just made a batch of mashed potatoes to serve to your friends and family on Thanksgiving Day!

Now that you’ve seen these three Thanksgiving inventions and the problems they look to solve, do you think you’d use any of these for preparing your Thanksgiving Day feast?

From all of us at Davison, we’d like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

Copyright Davison, 2015

Source:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/11/9-wild-inventions-that-modernized-thanksgiving/383189/

Images:

http://cdn1.theodysseyonline.com/files/2015/11/20/635835812490014056-678828880_f76a2ddf3faf0266_shutterstock_228478294.jpg

http://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US4581991-1.png

http://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US592906-0.png

http://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/US7172335B1/US07172335-20070206-D00000.png

The post Thanksgiving Inventions you Never Knew Existed appeared first on Davison.

Year after year, America continues to be the most innovative, inventing nation in the entire world.

When we think of famous American inventors, more times than not, Thomas Edison’s name will likely be rambled off, among many other inventors.

This comes as no surprise, given the fact that he’s invented some of the most prolific inventions in history, such as the phonograph, light bulb and the movie camera, to name a few.

But, along with all inventions comes a slew of patents; and, being the great innovator and inventor that Edison was, between the years of 1869 and 1933, he tacked on 1,084 United States utility patents to his resume.

This astonishing number of patents made him the longstanding record holder for 82 years as the American inventor with the most patents. But, like most things in life, all good things must come to an end and Edison’s reign as patent king in America has come to a close, thanks to a man named Lowell Wood.

It was lucky patent 1,085 that allowed Wood to surpass Edison in the intellectual property department. So, what is Wood’s invention specialty?

According Bloomberg Businessweek’s Ashlee Vance, “The scope of his inventions is insane… he’s just this guy who is compelled to solve problems and invent new ideas.”

In fact, one of his inventions, the “Mosquito Laser” is a device that was invented in order to solve the problem of malaria by killing large numbers of mosquitos to help reduce people’s chance of contracting the disease.

With all of this talk about patents and inventions solving problems, we couldn’t help but reflect on the importance of patents and what it takes to chase your dreams.

So, with that being said, we wanted to offer you three inventing tips:

1. Be persistent – Coming up with an invention idea and hopefully seeing it succeed doesn’t happen overnight. If you’re serious about your idea, it’s important to understand that it’ll take diligence, perseverance and a great attitude to be able to handle the obstacles along the inventing journey.
2. Be positive – As we mentioned in the previous point, a great attitude is an important cog in the invention wheel. Know that there will be naysayers and people who are waiting for you to fail. Despite this negative energy, keeping a positive and focused attitude will help you deal with the curveballs and continue to chase after your dreams.
3. Be smart – Inventions come out of necessity and work to solve problems. Think of yourself as Sherlock Holmes. You are a detective who is looking to solve a problem and that problem will be solved with your invention idea. To that point, you’ll want to surround yourself with a “Watson;” what we mean by this is that you’ll want to spend time with people who share your vision, who support you and who encourage you to do your best day in and day out.

Lowell Wood’s 1,085 patents alone are inspiring; however, it’s his creativity, intellect and, of course, his innovative spirit that has earned him with the title of America’s leading patent holder.

Only time will tell how long Wood will keep the patent-holding crown!

Copyright Davison, 2015

Sources:

http://www.intellectualventures.com/insights/archives/move-over-thomas-edison.-lowell-wood-is-now-americas-most-prolific-inventor?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily+Intellectual+Ventures+IV+Insights+Blog&utm_content=Daily+Intellectual+Ventures+IV+Insights+Blog+CID_4443067d1f91f4203566d66e332d5cf8&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_term=Move+Over+Thomas+Edison+Lowell+Woo

Images:

https://panosnomikos.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/lowell-wood.jpg

The post Who’s Lowell Wood and Why Do We Care? appeared first on Davison.