Category Archives: News

TED Talk: Johanna Blakley: Lessons from fashion’s free culture

Posted on August 25, 2010 by tom

In this video, Johanna Blakley provides a good overview of the interaction between copyright and fashion. There are some slight inaccuracies in what she presents, but overall it is an excellent talk.  And her remarks in the last few minutes … Continue reading →

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Job-Creating Patents

Posted on August 9, 2010 by tom

In an Op-Ed piece at the New York Times I came across via Patently-O, Paul Michel and Henry Nothhaft argue for the infusion of $1 billion into the Patent Office.  What I noticed most in this article was their citation that … Continue reading →

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Think Only Record Companies are Suing? Think Again.

Posted on July 8, 2010 by tom

Everyone knows of the widespread copyright infringement the Internet made possible.  And I think most of us are aware that the RIAA and record studios have been the most visible face of copyright infringement lawsuits.  But movie studios also sue.  … Continue reading →

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Finding and Hiring Reputable Patent Practitioners

Posted on July 1, 2010 by tom

When you’ve come up with an invention and are looking for someone to help you obtain a patent, do your comparison shopping and choose carefully.   Whether you choose a patent attorney, a patent agent, or an invention promotion service, … Continue reading →

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Secrecy, PR, and Media Intrigue

Posted on June 29, 2010 by tom

Marc Graser and Dave McNary wrote a great piece over at Variety regarding the difficulties in keeping a blockbuster movie under wraps during production.  Pre-release leakage of information, pictures, scripts can destroy a movie – but it can also make … Continue reading →

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Bilski v. Kappos – Patentability Tests

Posted on June 28, 2010 by tom

The long awaited Bilski decision was released today, and while I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, I have skimmed the blogosphere enough to know what it said.  Basically, the Federal Circuit went a little too far, and … Continue reading →

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Patience Urged for Bilski

Posted on June 25, 2010 by tom

Patent thinkers are going crazy for the Supreme Court to issue Bilski v. Kappos, a case with potential to change the patent landscape: Inventive Step Patently-O – guest post from my old Munich professor John Duffy IPWatchdog ABAJournal 271 Patent … Continue reading →

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Expediting the Patent Examination Process for Age or Health

Posted on June 11, 2010 by tom

Patent applications typically take quite a while to become actual patents. It’s currently taking between 2 and 4 years just to get the First Office Action from the Patent Office. There are a few ways to speed up the examination … Continue reading →

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Enlighted Designs bridges copyright-patent gap with lighted clothing

Posted on June 7, 2010 by tom

Fellow Harvey Mudd College grad Janet Hansen, who is President and Chief Fashion engineer of Enlighted Designs, has found, perhaps inadvertently, a way to combat the inability to get copyright protection in clothing design.  While you generally can’t protect the … Continue reading →

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Past Future of Computing

Posted on June 2, 2010 by tom

With the D: All Things Digital conference going on right now, there is a great video posted over on Kara Swisher’s digital column: an interview of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs at the D5 conference back in 2007.  Interesting to … Continue reading →

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