Patent Trolls Threaten Green Innovation · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader

Patent Trolls Threaten Green Innovation · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader:

There is a lot of discussion about "patent trolls" and the impact they have on various industries.

Here is the argument about the impact they have on the innovation in "green" technology. This is really the case for all new technology and all new industries, but the argument is about the major impact the trolls have on smaller organizations in the fledgling green technologies.

Much if not most of sustainability, however, is the practice of ancient technologies like organics (manure) and energy efficiency.

Hmmm...???

Keywords: patents, Patent Troll, green business, sustainability,
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Anti-patent engineers a problem, says senior Google IP counsel - Blog - IAM Magazine

Anti-patent engineers a problem, says senior Google IP counsel - Blog - IAM Magazine:

Wow this is an interesting point related to the effect that Patent Trolls have on the invention and innovation process. Google spends an ever increasing amount of time and money in prevention and avoidance within the new product/invention pipeline.

Yuk!

This is like the doctor avoiding malpractice issues by exercising defensive medicine, but on steroids.  (Sorry about the pun!)

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America's patent problem - POLITICO.com Print View

America's patent problem - POLITICO.com Print View:

Interesting Politico article by Leahy & Lee related to legislation to tame some of the really bad actors in the patent pool.

The didn't mention patent trolls by name, but the idea of building a bridge over the pond certainly implies that it will make it harder for trolls to reach up and pick off stray pieces of the economy.

The article talks about the problem of patent holders skipping over the (?infringing?) manufacturer and going straight to end users and consumers.

The two Senators are promoting legislation that would help curb this intrusion into the mainstream economy.

Looks pretty good on the face of it?

What do you all think?

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Patent law changes alter entrepreneurs' planning

Patent law changes alter entrepreneurs' planning:

This is a nice article by Laura Baverman about patents and how they needed to be integrated into the business plan and entrepreneurs' strategy. Since the US is now first-to-file, inventors must get their foot in the proverbial patent door early, often with a provisional patent while the details are being worked out.

This article also slips in the key provisions related to the laws and fees that were enacted in March of 2013.

Although the fees have all been dramatically increased, especially the follow-on maintenance fees, there is actually a micro-entity option that is only 25% of the full fee structure for large entities. (To qualify as micro, you must not have a high income and not have too many patents in your name.)

There are a few things that are are perfectly touched on in such a short article. There's a quick look at the staging process to protect the invention without bankrupting the small inventor. There's a side story about the great use of a business incubator for a specific company, EnerLeap, the next-best Lithium battery.

There's the indication of how IP must be specifically budgeted into the business plan. Your business plan must have the budget for IP, it must have the timing for IP expenses (patent, TM, Lawyer, R&D, engineering, etc.), and it must accommodate contingencies for litigation.

Of course, you still want to include the high margins and royalties from licensing in your income stream, you simply need to demonstrate that you have a sound plan for getting to that point.

Great article Laura!

Check out the Patent Primer 2.0, part of the Perpetual Innovation(tm) series, by Hall and Hinkelman (2013) at: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SBPlan   ... or ... Kindle eBook at: www.TinyURL.com/IPPrimer2

Visit SBP's IP web site at: www.IPplan.com 

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Apple, Samsung, Google and the smartphone patent wars - everything you need to know | Technology | theguardian.com

Apple, Samsung, Google and the smartphone patent wars - everything you need to know | Technology | theguardian.com:

This is an interesting overview of the many concepts associated with patents and patent strategies.

Very nice overview.

Of course you will also want to get the Patent Primer 2.0 at one of these fine book store locations near you:

• Print version of the Patent Primer 2.0 here: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SBPlan
• Kindle eBook here: www.TinyURL.com/IPPrimer2e 

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Ceres Monthly Newsletter - Flaring of Gas/NatGas

See this blog over at SustainZine: http://sustainzine.blogspot.com/2013/08/smaller-cities-get-startup-style.html

Ceres Monthly Newsletter:

This report starts to document the amount of gas (nat gas) that is flared in the production of oil/gas.

In the US we can't get the nat gas to market, so it is imply flared in many cases. The oil (wet particulates) are much more valuable so that is shipped by pipe if possible, but by truck or train if not.

One statement from a CEO in the oil patch has commented that half of the nat gas produces in the US is being flared. Safety, of course is critical. But this is a humongous waste of energy and environmental waste as well.

Check out the article and then look at the report here: http://www.ceres.org/resources/reports/flaring-up-north-dakota-natural-gas-flaring-more-than-doubles-in-two-years/view

Basic economics is one approach to this issue. If NatGas were more valuable, then there would be very little flaring. Right now it is about $3.50 (per ... unit) in the USA. So Nat gas is a byproduct of the production of oil unless it can be readily distributed to market (pipeline).  But for the world markets, NatGas is very valuable, let's say $10. If we can bridge the gap from domestic only to world, then the price would jump and the flaring would, well, burn out. :-)

The key is liquefied natural gas (LNG). Not coincidentally, LNG is the trading symbol of Chaniere Energy, one the the leading players in infrastructure for exporting LNG.

The Intellectual Property Landscape: USPTO to Update Patent Bar Exam Again Reports Wysebridge Patent Bar Review

The Intellectual Property Landscape: USPTO to Update Patent Bar Exam Again Reports Wysebridge Patent Bar Review:

Raising the BAR on the IP Bar.

The exam would change because of all the new laws. As well, the backdrop in the courts is very fluid.

Some of the problems, of course, is that a lot of the changes are just starting to filter into the books and web sources.

With 1/3 of the Patent Bar exam new, it will be a bit of a trick for the lawyers to come up to speed. And the ones that are faced with the bar will have to do so in a hurry.

Plus it may be that the exam is simply harder too.

Ouch... Double Ouch.

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The Rise of the Intangible Economy: U.S. GDP Counts R&D, Artistic Creation - Businessweek

The Rise of the Intangible Economy: U.S. GDP Counts R&D, Artistic Creation - Businessweek:

WOW. GDP is going to be re-calibrated to include Intangible assets. They hadn't been included because, well, they were kinda hard to measure. ? Huh ?

So expenses on a bridge or a factory becomes part of GDP and part of the "capital" of a working economy, but investment in R&D is simply an expense, with no intrinsic value for the future of the economy and economic development.

It is about time that Intangible assets finally get some respect.! Intellectual Property has been the Rodney Dangerfield of assets. Yet they are far more important than anyone in business schools will admit. And more critical than most companies realize (except media like Disney and Big Pharma).

It looks like the book Perpetual Innovation: A(tm): Guide to Strategic Planning, Patent Commercialization, and Enduring Competitive Advantage, Version 2.0. is simply ahead of its time.

Reference

Hall, E. B. & Hinkelman, R. M. (2013). Perpetual Innovation™: A guide to strategic planning, patent commercialization and enduring competitive advantage, Version 2.0. Morrisville, NC: LuLu Press. (Available at the LuLu Press Store for SBP at: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SBPlan.)

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SustUcation: Education eZine on Innovation, Sustainability and Competitive Advantages: To Cheat or not to Cheat... The China Syndrome.

SustUcation: Education eZine on Innovation, Sustainability and Competitive Advantages: To Cheat or not to Cheat... The China Syndrome.: So there's a BIG to do about cheating in china. WOW, what's the chance. Here's a fun video... China uncensored. http://www.yo...

3-D Printer Brings Dexterity To Children With No Fingers : Shots - Health News : NPR

3-D Printer Brings Dexterity To Children With No Fingers : Shots - Health News : NPR:

This is just a little of the types of innovation that are possible with such new tech as 3-D printers and an open learning and open sharing mentality.

One guy is a puppeteer, one is great at building prosthetics. Bring them together and hands can be rapidly developed for kids without fingers. Very cool. And if they share their 3D diagrams (CAD/CAM) then everyone following behind can use and/or modify the artificial hand. For example, two kids have similar had problems but one is older (bigger). Image how easy it would be to build for the second kid, once the first had was designed and printed. Simply make the hand proportionately bigger, print and try it. :-)

Very cool.

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NetAppVoice: Crowdsourcing: Great For Your Business (A Handy Primer) - Forbes

NetAppVoice: Crowdsourcing: Great For Your Business (A Handy Primer) - Forbes:

Here's a quick overview of Crowd sourcing... and the genius of crowds.

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After DNA patent ruling, Congress must encourage genetic research - The Washington Post

After DNA patent ruling, Congress must encourage genetic research - The Washington Post:

Wow, a unanimous ruling!

This is a good thing. Firms cannot patent DNA. That's a discovery, not an invention.

It appears however, that they can patent synthetic DNA, so if they invent a new type of....
... of seed or
... new type of person,

Then they can patent it.

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Tiny movie: IBM makes nano-sized film about little boy by pushing molecules around (with video)

Tiny movie: IBM makes nano-sized film about little boy by pushing molecules around (with video):

This is too cool...

IBMers have too much time on their hands when they have time to push atoms around and make a stop-motion video of it.

Kinda makes you wonder on the possible BIG applications of something so very small! ???

A boy and his atom. 

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eBook Patent Primer 2.0, Patents, the Great Equalizer of our Time! An Overview of Intellectual Property with Patenting Cost Estimates for Inventors and Entrepreneurs (Perpetual Innovation): Elmer B. Hall, Robert M. Hinkelman: Amazon.com: Kindle Store

Patent Primer 2.0, Patents, the Great Equalizer of our Time! An Overview of Intellectual Property with Patenting Cost Estimates for Inventors and Entrepreneurs (Perpetual Innovation): Elmer B. Hall, Robert M. Hinkelman: Amazon.com: Kindle Store:

Kindle eBook version of the Patent Primer 2.0 is here!!!

Of course you can still buy the hard copy of the Primer 2.0 over a LuLu Press: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SBPlan

Patent Primer 2.0 is an overview of IP protection in the US and globally with a focus on patents and the patenting process. Intellectual property – especially patents – provides one of the greatest competitive advantages of our time. Patents are a great equalizer, putting the individual inventor on the same footing as corporate giants.  The Patent Primer is an update from the original edition that was included as Appendix B in Perpetual Innovation, Hall and Hinkelman’s 2007 patent commercialization book. (Look for edition 2.0!)

With so much depending on intellectual property, inventors and entrepreneurs must have a good understanding of IP tools to be successful. Patent Primer 2.0 is what everyone needs before launching new product development and invention commercialization. It gives a quick overview of IP and brand building. It addresses the various patent-protection alternatives. The Primer offers example of costs for a small entity to bring a patent-protected invention to market-readiness. The 2.0 version of the Primer includes major changes in U.S. patent laws and the new fees initiated in March 2013.

Hall and Hinkelman are executives of Strategic Business Planning Company (SBP), a company that helps businesses and individuals Plan for Sustainable Success™. SBP helps innovators build strong IP Business Plans. The company is active in sustainability and advocates initiatives that offer payback of investment in 1 to 5 years while delivering perpetual savings to the business, to the community and to the environment – win, win, win!

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Oxycontin Expires today, April 16 2013. The “Patent Cliff” is not here on this one.

» The “Patent Cliff” and its Effects upon Workers’ Compensation Claims:

The Oxycontin patent expires today. 

So you would expect to be able to buy many people's favorite drug on the side of the road or on hill-tops, just above cliff level.

As with many things that are FDA approved and regulated, this is going to be a very slow ride down from the cliff, definitely not a one-time drop off.

First, this drug is highly abused and strongly regulated by the FDA. The FDA will have to approve any other generic drug... And the new (non-new) generic version will be regulated along with Oxycontin.

The manufacturer, Purdue, is trying to get a 6 month extension on the patent, in part because of tamper-proof nature of the way they think the drug should be sold in the future.

In short, the downward slope of the Oxycontin slope is not a cliff. It is not a Black Diamond. It is probably going to be more of a bunny slope... With not much competition and higher prices for several years.

Of course, if you are buying it on the black market, you wouldn't want a knock off, right?

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Patent Primer 2.0 is released. Overview of IP and Patent Process.

Perpetual Innovation™: Patent Primer 2.o

Patents, the Great Equalizer of our Time!

An Overview of Intellectual Property with Patenting Cost Estimates for Inventors and Entrepreneurs

By Elmer Hall & Robert Hinkelman

Visit LuLu Press storefront at: www.lulu.com/spotlight/SBPlan

The Patent Primer 2.0 is an overview of intellectual property (IP) protection in the US and globally with a focus on patents and the patenting process. Intellectual property – especially patents – provides one of the greatest competitive advantages of our time. Patents are a great equalizer, putting the individual inventor on the same footing as corporate giants.

   Intangible assets have expanded such that most of the value of most companies is non-tangible, especially patents. Even though there is such a huge competitive advantage associated with IP, intangible assets often go unmanaged. IP is generally omitted from the books on new product development, marketing, and business strategy.

With so much depending on intellectual property, inventors and entrepreneurs must have a good understanding of IP tools to be successful. Patent Primer 2.0 is what everyone needs before launching into new product development and invention commercialization. It gives a quick overview of IP and brand building. It addresses the various patent-protection maneuvers. The Primer offers example of costs for a small entity to bring an invention to market-readiness with patent protection. The 2.0 version of the Primer includes major changes in U.S. patent laws and the new fee schedule initiated in March 2013.

   The information at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (U.S. PTO web site) has evolved over 200 years into a mixed collage of information. Details are buried within laws, regulations, policies and procedures. Additionally, books on patenting and do-it-yourself patent tools are complicated and obtuse. Less-than-reputable companies with 800 numbers target inventors to “help” with the patenting, licensing and funding.

The 2.0 version of the Patent Primer is a complete rewrite and update of the original primer included in Appendix B of Hall and Hinkelman’s 2007 book on patent commercialization. (Visit: www.lulu.com/spotlight/SBPlan) 

   Hall and Hinkelman are executives of Strategic BusinessPlanning Company, a company that does consulting, helping businesses and individuals Plan for Sustainable Success™. SBP helps innovators build strong IP Business Plans. The company is active in sustainability and advocates initiatives that offer payback of investment in 1 to 5 years while delivering perpetual savings to the business, to the community and to the environment – win, win, win!

Vringo Requests Court to Increase Royalty against Google + AOL

Vringo Requests Court to Increase Royalty Rate to Be Paid by Google, AOL | Fox Business: "Vringo Requests Court to Increase Royalty "

Ouch. The royalty rates on AdWords by Google & ads by AOL could really get expensive.

Google has kept a competitive advantage because of their bid-to-ad technology. That's where they have historically made most of their money.

The computation formula would be based on 20.9% of Googles adword revenue as the base. And 3.5% of that... That is only 0.7315%. So less than 1% of Google's AdWords. Still lots of millions.

This looks like it will start to get expensive for them and AOL to keep using the technology owned by Vringo. Huge winnings already in place but aiming for a 7% royalty going forward.

Wow. This could get to be interesting.

Keywords: patent, Vringo, Google, AOL, AdWord, willful, infringe, court

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Everything You Need to Know About Google Glass - IGN (Half full?)

Everything You Need to Know About Google Glass - IGN:

Here's everything you need to know about Google Glass (Glasses really).

This article discusses if the Glass is half empty or half full.

I think it will work in the same way as bluetooth. Once you have used it, it is hard to go back to holding a phone again.

I think you will really need to quality of SIRI in order to make this work, otherwise it may simply be an inconvenient exercise. A bluetooth experience that doesn't recognize voice commands well, is rather useless.

Cool way to have a cam, though, no matter how long it takes to get it work well.

It should add new options to the way we all communicate. GoToMeeting from Citrix would have to add in a new option of DontGoToMeeting.

I like the idea of working it into street view from Google. That could be really, really cool.

Now we'll have no excuse for stopping to ask directions again.

Price will be interesting. I will bet lots of money that it comes in under $1,000, certainly not the $1,500 that's currently being tossed up to developers.

In the end, the glass may be more than half full.

But, we'll have to wait and see!:-)

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39 Most Tantalizing Business Cards

39 Most Tantalizing Business Cards:

Some really cool (and a couple rather obnoxious/risque) business card concepts.

Thinking of being innovative???

How about this.

1. Come up with a cool design patent.
2. Then come up with a way to represent that design on a business card.
3. Then come up with a design patent on the business card.

Hmmm...???

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Why Won't Yahoo! Let Employees Work From Home? - Businessweek

Why Won't Yahoo! Let Employees Work From Home? - Businessweek:

Boy Mayer is gonna cause a lot of shake here with the everyone-has-to-travel-to-work policy.

Apparently (Today Show) she now as a nursery set up next door to her office for her new convenience. That helps new parents, maybe, but not the ones with kids in school or those people who live a longer way from the office.

But Mayer is shaking it up.

There has long been the debate about the down side of work-at-home (WAH). And a tech leader like Yahoo  might just be a place to face-to-face interaction that is lost from WAH.

But, I fear that making everyone drive to work is a major setback to telecommuting efforts that are so very beneficial to the efforts of sustainability.

Studies show that the true costs of telecommuting are far closer to $40,000 per year than to the $5,000 cost of gas. Most of that savings goes to the employer. Closer to $45,000 if you want to include the less-tangible costs of externalities such as infrastructure and greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Key words:  WAH, telecommuting. Work-at-home, sustainability, carbon footprint, GHG, teleworking, remote working, time shifting.
First posted at www.SustainZine.com. Repeated here.
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Should Monsanto own patent rights on the elements of life? - Los Angeles Times:

Should Monsanto own patent rights on the elements of life? - Los Angeles Times:

Few people realize how patent intensive the food industry has become.

The top 10 seed companies account for 2/3 of all seeds sold.

A huge % of the seed sold are patented. Wow!

"Over an 11-year period, the cost per acre of planting soybeans has risen a dramatic 325%." Ouch!...
BUT if the yield is improved, then the added cost to sow is well justified.

Remember that genetically modified  (GMO) can/possibly be patented, organic not.

But owning a gene and the patent on all activity to monitor/manage/tread based on that gene has interesting implications.  You can expect the pharma industry to watch this law suit in plants very closely.

Keywords: GMO, organic, plant patents, Monsanto, seeds, farming, law suit,  genes,
First blogged at: SustainZine

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Top 15 drug patent losses for 2013 - ... And Viagra...

Top 15 drug patent losses for 2013 - FiercePharma:

In the usual search of the BIG patents that are about to drop off the cliff, it is always fun to see what comes up.

This is a great assessment of the 2013 Patent Cliff.

Wanna see what's in store for the the next 4-5 years check out this report and forecast for pharma patents through 2018 by EvaluatePharma: http://www.evaluatepharma.com/worldpreview2018.aspx

Just reviewing the past couple years you will see Plavix and Lipitor going off patent with more than $5B in annual sales. Wow. Look at this from 2011: The 10 Biggest-Selling Drugs That Are About to Lose Their Patent - DailyFinance: "Plavix"

But I got tripped up in the Viagra and its patent status. Check out this article from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20258639

Pfizer lost its Viagra patent in Canada. The Supreme court there was unforgiving in the approach that was taken in the patent to mention everything including the kitchen sink, not primarily focus on the only active ingredient  The court thought that this was a poor attempt at "gaming" the patent process and seemed rather less than entertained. Ouch!.

In Canada the patent was due to expire in 2014 anyway.  Seems that the main patent in the US will go public domain in 2018.

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IBM and China. #1 in the world of Patents

IBM is again the patent king with the most patents issued. Now just under 6,500 issued in a single year. That's issued, not applications.


IBM

•Celebrated 101 years since its first patent

•In 2012 was its 20th year as most US patents

•In 2012 received 6,478 patents! (not applications!)

•Spent $6B on R&D  … roughly $1m per patent.

•IBM makes $1B+ per year on IP sales/licensing!
=> That is almost pure profit$!

This is a fun article about the big patent companies and IBM's Watson system beating out the best and the brightest on the show Jeopardy. 

In the meanwhile, China has moved up to the busiest patent office in the world! It was only a couple years ago that they were 5th and not long prior to that they they were not a signatory on IP treaties!..

Raspberry Pi RC Race Car Is Controlled With Cheese | Wired Design | Wired.com

Raspberry Pi RC Race Car Is Controlled With Cheese | Wired Design | Wired.com:

Okay. You'll have to read this by yourself.

This combines the basics of an RC race care and a little bit of ingenuity in the controller...

If you are looking for the food to integrate into your controller system, then cheese is the food that aims to please.

I remember the day when food and drink were not the topic ingredients to integrate into your controller and input devises. Coke in keyboards and pizza in your mouse, for example, have always proved to be ill-fated.

But you be the judge.

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Asus and Leap Motion Bring Gestures to Life | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

Asus and Leap Motion Bring Minority Report-Style Gestures to Life | Gadget Lab | Wired.com:

Wow, look at this. Now ASUS is powering up with this really cool gesture input device.

It could make the Kinect from Microsoft antiquated/obsolete?  It tracks within 1/100th of a mil.!

Wow.
As an electro-techno-junkie...

You gotta get that!... Games are certainly gonna want it.

Note the preorder.

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