Bad Patent, No Donut

Matt Buchanan had a post yesterday about a secret Rethink(IP) project he’s been spear-heading.  He called it “our most ambitious project yet.”

What is it, you ask? I can’t pop the top yet, but can promise that we’ll do it soon. We’re planning a very brief private beta period beginning at the end of this week. If you’d like to be included in that, please send me an e-mail at jmb@promotetheprogress.com.  We’re planning to launch the public beta - where everyone can participate - immediately after the brief private beta period.

Are you a little curious? Here’s a big hint….remember the word everyone. The focus of the project is community. Everyone. Everyone can participate, which is exactly the way it should be.  We think that the patent reform efforts have left the community at the door, and we’re fixin’ to fix that.   Here’s a few more hints to get your gears turning:

It’s about community…it’s about being open….not closed…it’s about everyone, not just experts.  it’s about patent review…it’s about improving the delivery of patent-based information…it’s about facilitating the discussion of patents and patent information.

Both Doug and I have been diligently testing the alpha with Matt…and it is going to be GREAT.  The best part about this community…it finally provides a vehicle where those that hate patents a place where there can “put up or shut up,” while at the same time providing an essential tool to businesses and patent attorneys. 

More information to follow…

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I’m back…with a question from a reader

Sorry for the light posting…I took some vacation and have been buried in other projects.

I did receive the following question from a reader today:

I have my grandmother’s old hand-operated meat grinder.  On it is imprinted:

PAT.MCH. 4.’02.

Does this mean that it was the fourth patent issued in 1902?

I’ll appreciate any information you can provide.

My response would be:  I doubt it.  To the best of my knowledge, I don’t know how you’d even easily determine what the fourth patent issued in 1902 was, let alone would that have necessarily been information the Patent Office would have provided to a patentee.

If Buchanan is done standing in the bathroom taking pictures, maybe he (patent marking plate expert) can answer it.  Or…perhaps one of my readers can decipher the marking (the comments are open).

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11th Annual Independent Inventors Conference

Via an email:

The United States Patent and Trademark Office invites you to the 11th Annual Independent Inventors Conference

September 8-9, 2006 at 8 a.m.

USPTO Headquarters

600 Dulany Street . Alexandria, VA

Join top officials from the United States Patent and Trademark Office and successful inventors and entrepreneurs to learn effective strategies to help protect and market your BIG IDEA!:

Speakers:

• Stephen M. Pinkos, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
• John Doll, Commissioner for Patents
• Lynne Beresford, Commissioner for Trademarks
• Gregory Hart, a finalist in the History Channel’s recent Modern Marvels Invent Now Competition
• Louis Forman, CEO of Eventys and executive producer of the upcoming PBS series Everyday Edison’s
• Register today, seating is limited!

Registration Fee: $50 per person for both days (includes all sessions and presentations, refreshments, lunch and a networking reception on Friday evening).

First time attendees are invited to participate in a pre-conference seminar on September 7, 2006 from 5-7 p.m.

To register for the conference, please visit www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/iip/iiconf/ or call the National Inventors Hall of Fame at 330.849.6903

For more information, please call the Inventors Assistance Program at 571.272.8850

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Idaho IP Lawsuits

One of the excellent services we offer over that Rethink(IP) is called RSS Mojo…a blend of pay and free listings of recently filed patent, trademark and copyright lawsuits.

In example…here is a listing of the IP cases filed in Idaho (Federal) in the past few weeks:

Coldwater Creek Inc et al Vs. Online Reward Center et al 
2:2006cv00307 

Electronic Controls Company v. Wolo Manufacturing Corp 
1:2006cv00315 

Keynetics Inc. et al v. R U On the Net Inc. d/b/a Keynetlinks 
1:2006cv00312 

Interestingly, all three were trademark cases. 

RSS Mojo is a great resource for keeping your clients updated regarding lawsuits against them and/or between competitors.

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YTMND & Dudas?

Apparently a YTMND fan thinks USPTO Director Dudas is “dreamy.”

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Practice Tip: Foreign Corporate Entities

For those of us who do considerable work (patents, trademarks) for foreign intellectual property law firms, Wikipedia has a great listing of “Types of companies.”

A great tool to use when you need to satisfy an “entity type” rejection for, in example, explaining whether an Australian LTD is a “company” or a “corporation.”

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Blawgr

Blawgr is, like a phoenix, returning.  Soon.  Ed. even created a post regarding it:  http://blawgreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/blawgr-coming-soon.html

I’ve had a chance to be involved in some cool stuff on-line…but the rebirth of Blawgr is going to be amazing.  Mark. My. Words.

…more information to follow…

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eeney meeney miney moe, Dewey, Cheatum and Howe

So…how DO you pick an attorney?  Enotes thinks they know how:  How To Find An Attorney: Encyclopedia of Everyday Law.

It reminds me of:  A Consumer’s Guide to Idaho Lawyers.

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The RIAA vs. John Doe, a layperson’s guide to filesharing lawsuits - The Digital Music Weblog

Very interesting: The RIAA vs. John Doe, a layperson’s guide to filesharing lawsuits - The Digital Music Weblog.

See also this list of recently filed copyright lawsuits:  Rethink(IP)’s - Copyright Lawsuit Filing Update

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Free Booklet on “What Every Inventor MUST Know”

[Update: the below URLs appear to be dead]

Inventors’ Digest magazine notes:

In honor of National Inventors’ Month - August, Inventors’ Digest has unveiled The Best of Inventors’ Digest, a compilation of its best and brightest articles from the past two decades. The first in this exciting 20 volume series can be downloaded free of charge now and throughout the month of August!

And..it’s a FREE DOWNLOAD! Volume 1 - Inventing 101: What Every Inventor MUST Know [pdf]

[Via Business Opportunities Weblog]

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