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Author Archives: mjwhitekingston
2008 World Patent Report
The World Intellectual Property Organization has released its 2008 World Patent Report. The 72-page report provides a statistical overview of worldwide patent activity, including the number of patent filings, granted patents, patent families, patents in force, patents by field of … Continue reading
Posted in Patent statistics, WIPO
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Proofreading Patents May Save Big $$$
The USPTO published more than 480,000 patent documents in 2007, so it isn’t surprising that a few of them contain errors. Last year the PTO issued 23,000 certificates of correction (CCs), or about 12.5% of all issued patents. CCs are … Continue reading
Inventor’s Last Wish: Bury me in my invention.
WIPO Magazine reports about the final wish of inventor Frederic Baur, a food chemist for Procter and Gamble. In 1966 Baur applied for a patent on a container for Pringles potato chips (US348798). Baur died in May at the age … Continue reading
Posted in Pringles, Procter and Gamble
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Youngest Patent Holder?
The current issue of WIPO Magazine features a story about a boy who may be the world’s youngest patent holder. Samuel Thomas Houghton of Buxton, UK was only three years old when he had an idea for an improved broom. … Continue reading
Posted in Children inventors
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Using RF to Treat Cancer
Last night Sixty Minutes did an interesting story on an inventor named John Kanzius who has developed a new radiofrequency therapy to treat tumors and cancerous cells. Kanzius, who has no technical or medical training, was inspired to invent by … Continue reading
Posted in cancer, John Kanzius, Nikola Tesla
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Transparency in the US Patent System
An op-ed piece in the July 14th Wall Street Journal by L. Gordon Crovitz makes an interesting case about the shortcomings of the US patent system and the recent failure of Congress to enact patent reform. One of his criticisms … Continue reading
Classification Order 1878 – Class 16, Misc. Hardware and Class 52, Buildings
The USPTO has issued a new classification order, #1878, covering changes to Classes 16, Miscellaneous Hardware, and 52, Static Structures (Buildings). Static structures include all types of constructions ranging from amusement park rides and sports stadiums to wind turbines and … Continue reading
Posted in classification orders, USPTO
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Medical Innovators: Michael E. Debakey
Dr. Michael DeBakey, a heart surgeon who invented dozens of medical procedures, devices and instruments, died this weekend at age 99 after a extremely long and productive career. (He continued practicing medicine well into his 90s.) While in medical school … Continue reading
Posted in doctors, ethics, medical devices
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Researchers See Patent Quality in Rising Citation Counts
Joff Wild, a journalist and blogger for Intellectual Asset Management Magazine, makes some interesting observations about a new study that claims that the quality of patents issued by the USPTO is rising. The research found, among other things, significant growth … Continue reading
Posted in patent quality, Patent references, USPTO
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U.S. Patent Counts, Q2 2008
The USPTO published 77,691 patent applications (A docs) in Q2, a six percent increase over the same quarter last year and the second straight quarter over 77,000, but a slight decline from the Q1 2008. The USPTO is on track … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Patent Librarian's Notebook 