Intellectual Property Law

How Inventive! (No. 15)

Posted on May 10, 2009
Horses run, right?  That means they move in three dimensions.  In 1891, William Cronin and Cyril Adams of Philadelphia patented an improved merry-go-round that incorporates this three-dimensional movement into a classical children's play apparatus...

How Inventive! (No. 14)

Posted on May 04, 2009
The Egptian Pharaohs famously wanted to preserve their bodies forever, after death.  If only Joseph Karwowski had lived 3,000 years earlier!  In 1903, this inventive Russian received U.S. Patent No. 748,284, entitled "Method Of Preserving The Dead"...

How Inventive! (No. 13)

Posted on May 03, 2009
When was the helicopter invented?  Setting aside the classic example of Leonardo da Vinci's drawings (because he apparently never attempted to make a working device?), how long ago was the helicopter patented?  In 1907, J.N. Williams applied for his "Flying Machine" patent, U...

Stop Sylvia Browne is back online!

Posted on November 03, 2008
I was pleased to learn today that Robert Lancaster is recovering from his stroke and is back at work on the Stop Sylvia Browne web site.  Robert is an extraordinary individual who provides this reference about Sylvia Browne as a public service, without any expectation of reward...

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The War on Photography

Posted on June 06, 2008
Bruce Schneier is a security expert, civil libertarian, and all-around interesting guy.  I like his blog ("Schneier on Security"); he has a fresh, conversational writing style and isn't condescending to non-experts.  His writings on "security theater" have brought him a lot of media attention since September 11...

How Inventive! (No. 12)

Posted on March 23, 2008
Do domestic chickens naturally see clearly? Probably, so these patented spectacles are purely defensive weapons — "designed for fowls, so that they may be protected from other fowls that might attempt to peck at them … [but] will not interfere with the sight of the fowl...

How Inventive! (No. 10)

Posted on February 27, 2008
Birds can be messy pets.  When they're caged, it's relatively easy to clean up after them.  But when you let them out to exercise and play, you never know where they'll drop a mess.  Fortunately, we have a solution — the bird diaper disclosed in U...

How Inventive! (No. 9)

Posted on February 27, 2008
Who hasn't needed a pat on the back at some point?  In case you don't have a friend handy, Ralph Piro invented a device that helps you pat yourself on the back.  U.S. Patent 4,608,967 describes a "self-congratulatory apparatus having a simulated human hand carried on a pivoting arm suspended form shoulder supported member...

How Inventive! (No. 11)

Posted on February 27, 2008
Lots o' love for the lotto!  If you've ever played a lottery scratch-off game, you know how annoying it can be to use a fingernail to scratch off the gunk that covers the playing field.  The gunk gets caught under the nail or little bits get all over the place...

How Inventive! (No. 8)

Posted on December 22, 2007
Losing a loved one is hard. How to keep the memories alive? Last week, Mary Rydberg and Sharon Robinson received U.S. Patent No. 7,308,741 for a huggable cremated remains storage system. The invention uses a "plush container", such as a stuffed animal, and ornamental symbols characteristics of the person whose remains are inside...

How Inventive! (No. 7)

Posted on December 15, 2007
Who hasn't had to lift a heavy object at some point? In 1996, Michael Schaefer patented a method for demonstrating his "Powerlift" technique (U.S. Patent No. 5,498,162). The technique requires no tools and assertedly prevents back injuries. Interestingly, the claims don't cover a technique for lifting an object...

How Inventive! (No. 6)

Posted on November 22, 2007
Everyone knows the feeling of regret — of wanting to kick one's self in the behind. Thanks to Joe Armstrong, now you don't have to! His invention will kick your butt for you. U.S. Patent 6,293,874 ("User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks") claims an apparatus that delivers kicks for you...

How Inventive! (No. 5)

Posted on November 07, 2007
Who doesn't fear being buried alive? Fortunately, Franz Vester came up with a solution, way back in 1868. (The basic idea of "safety coffins" goes back further, however — at least to the 1820s.) In U.S. Patent No. 81,437, he claimed an apparatus comprising coffin with a string extending to a bell located above ground...

Buffaloes v. Lions

Posted on October 20, 2007
Interesting amateur nature video, with two unexpected twists:

How Inventive! (No. 4)

Posted on October 07, 2007
What would patents be like if professional comic-book artists drew the figures? Like U.S. Patent 3,398,406, probably. This Bouyant Bulletproof Combat Uniform is fit for G.I. Joe.

How Inventive! (No. 3)

Posted on September 14, 2007
Can an old dog learn new tricks? Can pigs fly? Can elephants climb trees? Maybe so. U.S. Patent 461,449 claims a "Performing Platform For Animals" — an artificial tree that is specially-shaped to allow an elephant to climb it.

The Chaser on Americans

Posted on September 08, 2007
This clip from The Chaser's War On Everything makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. This is the group whose stunt exposed gaping holes and the automatonic mindset of APEC's security force in Australia. (Via Bruce Schneier)

How Inventive! (No. 2)

Posted on August 14, 2007
US Patent 6,025,810 Hyper-light-speed antenna Invented by David Strom The ansible — a long-time staple of science fiction — was been patented on February 15, 2000. This patent claims a device capable of communication at faster-than-light speed...

How Inventive! (No. 1)

Posted on August 11, 2007
This is the first in an occassional series of posts on interesting, dubious, or fun patents. (Or my second, depending whether this counts.) Three recent emails asked if my blog was defunct because I hadn't posted in a while. Two of those asked about my patent collection...

Intel hardware security video

Posted on August 01, 2007
This is the funniest web ad I've seen in a while. Via Bruce Schneier.

What Would Bruce Schneier Do?

Posted on April 10, 2007
This WWBSD t-shirt is an excellent gift for the geek in your life. Bruce says he has nothing to do with this, however.

Sanctions against KinderStart

Posted on March 26, 2007
I just learned that Google has won a dismissal and sanctions in the lawsuit brought by KinderStart. The dismissal order was without leave to amend, meaning that KinderStart's claims are dead. The court also ordered that KinderStart and its attorneys will be sanctioned...

PTO: P2P threatens national security

Posted on March 21, 2007
The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office apparently thought it wasn't in the headlines enough this month. On March 5, it issued a press release announcing a November 2006 report (1.22mb) which claims that P2P networks threaten national security. The logic is, at best, bad and, at worst, intentionally deceptive...

Government Document Generator

Posted on March 16, 2007
Sunlight Labs has an amusing toy called the Government Document Generator. (Via Technology Liberation Front)

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