Sunday, October 28, 2012

New Patent Rules: What You Need to Know | Inc.com

New Patent Rules: What You Need to Know | Inc.com:

As the new US patent rules really kick in, here is a very good overview what's happening in the world of IP by DesMarais.

The US will join the rest of the world to become first-to-file (vs first-to-invent).

Litigation can be hopefully be largely avoided by moving the contesting of the patent clear up the issuing process.

But make no doubt about it, patents and IP will continue to have a dominant role in the competitive advantage of business and the innovation process.

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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Concrete Tents! Wow. Up in a day.

This is really cool.

Make a concrete Tent, a BIG tent over a few hours time.

Concrete Tent: http://www.concretecanvas.co.uk/index.html

It uses a concrete canvas technology. Simply put it in position -- in this case inflate the tent. And then moisten the canvas. Let it dry and you have a hardened shelter. Put sand around it, and you have a hardened bunker.

Pretty cool.

Look at the video with ~1.5m facebook <likes>...

Winner of a whole bunch of innovation awards including a couple awards from insurance companies and:

  • 2011 Most Innovative Product, MIP Expert's Choice
  • 2005 World Changing Idea Award, Saatchi & Saatchi
  • Material Connection's 2011 Material of the Year Award
The video says that it lasts 10 years or more. Seems like painting it would give it a really long life.

Lots and lots of uses. Ditches, Slope/landslide protection, etc.

There is a 2007 patent application on the material/canvas: 20100233417.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Issuu - bbiinternational - Ethanol Producer Magazine ... Biomass... Etc.

Issuu - bbiinternational - Documents:

Check out issues of Ethanol Producer Magazine... And other Biomass, biodiesel, biomass, biofuel rags. (Reading these online is surprising smooth once you get the swing of it.)

Great info in this month's edition of Ethanol Producer. Because of the trade-off between burning our food (corn) and eating it, the use of corn-ethanol as a fuel is critical. It's especially critical during times of drought. It takes a lot of water to grow corn, and it takes a lot of water to process ethanol.

Ethanol is down, corn-based ethanol is down, exports are down, etc.

But what's interesting is the field tests (pun intended) of new corn crops that are more drought tolerant.

If you haven't yet ventured off into this genre of magazines, you will find it very interesting and surprisingly relevant. Relevant, if you drive, if you eat food, if you have interests in the economy. . .

Make no doubt about it, the drought is gonna impact us all in food, fuel and more, for at least the next couple years. What we have just learned this year about droughts will be useful for the rest of the world, too, in seasons to come.

Hang on for the bumpy ride.

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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Apple-Samsung Case Muddies Future of Innovation - NYTimes.com

Apple-Samsung Case Muddies Future of Innovation - NYTimes.com:

Oh boy, this is gonna get ugly. Especially if you are in the habit of ripping off other companies technology.

Samsung, just got smacked down hard. A $1B verdict is just the beginning. Apple will of course, try to get treble damages for "willful" infringement of Apple's technology. But the $1B is only the beginning. On September 20, the hearing (resumes) related to an injunction of the sales of Samsung's offending products.

One would assume that the new Samsung line (Galaxy) does not infringe, but that too may soon become subject to tighter scrutiny.

Faced with injunctions or licensing Apples technology, that is the issue that will be confronting players in the market, including Google.

The war chests of patents are: Apple; Samsung (kinda); Google (now with Motorola wireless that they seem to have bought primarily for the patent portfolio); and Microsoft (now with a boat load -- $1B worth actually -- of patents from AOL).

Who else is there. RIMM? Palm's technology that went to HP is dwindling fast.

Of course, Samsung is appealing. But it's outlook is not, well, appealing. And this loss in the US, is going to seriously shape the face of the screen in there rest of the world.

Samsung is down 7% in Asian trading on Monday Aug. 27, 2012. Expect Apple to open up big on Hurricane Isaac Monday.


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Friday, July 27, 2012

Apple, Samsung, Kodak, imitation... a little more... on the patent war.

Apple, Samsung, Kodak, Imation: Intellectual Property - Businessweek:

Here you go with a huge patent war. Smartphones, iPads and more.

Apple has been trying to injoin Samsung from sales of Galaxy product line. No injunction yet, but Apple is winning so far in the USA. Kinda.

This law suit will be telling.

In the meanwhile the Apple-Samsung war is being fought across the globe. In Germany this week, Apple lost miserably and was ordered to make a public apology. That was belayed yesterday until appeals have been processed. See more about the apology and appeal here.

The smartphone war chests are Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Google. All those players in the market that don't have to stand back and see the last gladiator(s) standing. It's gonna be ugly for most/all of the other players?

And whatever happened to all the great technology from Palm (HP)? I'm surprised the HP doesn't sell or license it. Blackberry (RIMM)?

Forget about the Olympics, the real contest is in the smartphone arena.

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Monday, July 9, 2012

Strategic Business Planning Co's Books and Publications Spotlight

Strategic Business Planning Co's Books and Publications Spotlight:

Here's the Patent Primer as well.
Also check out the e-book versions of the book/booklet.


Perpetual Innovation: A Patent Primer, an Overview of Patenting Issues and Costs Estimates for a Small Entity

Paperback, 25 Pages 
Price: $10.05
Ships in 3-5 business days
This booklet is a overview of intellectual property protection in the US and globally. This is what’s missing from the books on new product development and do-it-yourself patenting. It’s not covered in the business books on product development, marketing and strategic planning. With so much depending on the intellectual property protection of inventors they must have a good understanding of the information presented here to be successful. This booklet is what everyone needs before launching into new product development and invention commercialization. It gives a quick overview of the patenting process. It addresses the timing of various patent-protection maneuvers. There is an example of costs for a small entity/investor to bring an invention to market-readiness with patent protection. This booklet is based on Appendix B of Perpetual Innovation: A Guide to Strategic Planning, Patent Commercialization and Enduring Competitive Advantage (2007) by Hall and Hinkelman.


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Strategic Business Planning Co's Books and Publications Spotlight

Strategic Business Planning Co's Books and Publications Spotlight:

The patent commercialization books by Hall and Hinkelman are available from LuLu Press: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SBPlan


Perpetual Innovation: A Guide to Strategic Planning, Patent Commercialization and Enduring Competitive Advantage

Paperback, 288 Pages 
Price: $49.95
Ships in 3-5 business days
Perpetual Innovation describes the strategic planning process necessary for managers and inventors to bringing protected technologies to market. This book outlines the ways to organize for innovation and how best to commercialize intellectual property (patents) nationally and internationally. Valuation and decision-making methods are presented for assessing the value of technology at early stages and preparing for the best methods of value realization. Key to market success is being first to market, with a superior product and the best possible intellectual property protection. This book focuses on the business side of patent commercialization, those decisions that involve everyone in the organization, not just the patent attorneys and the scientists.


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