Down and out in Ham lake

This paper presents a cautionary tale to all inventors who surrender their patents in return for funding. The paper relates the experience of Corliss Orville Burandt, who claims to have invented a method called variable valve timing. Burandt discovered that Honda's intelligent VTEC engine used a technique that he believes is identical to his patent. He also claims that four other major auto companies have recently filed for patents on concepts that would infringe his patents. Unfortunately, Burandt found out that he didn't own the patents and that Investment Rarities Inc., which had initially provided funds to develop his inventions, had failed to pay the US Patent and Trademark Office in maintenance fees that were due on the 12 patents Burandt had assigned to the company in exchange for funding. This case should serve as a lesson to all inventors not to assign the patent to their development partners, but instead to give them an exclusive license. That way, the inventor maintains control over the invention, can monitor and ensure payment of maintenance fees, and can work language into the contract that stipulates that the exclusive license can be terminated if the licensee does not make a reasonable effort to commercialize the technology.     

照亮廿一世纪之光--纪念激光发明四十周年

没有科学大师的创新思维，就没有激光的发明。激光的发明，使电子学推进到光频电磁波段，产生了光频电子学，简称光电子学；激光的发明，同时也使传统光学推进到信息领域，形成了相干光学，或光子学。激光的进一步发展，将光信息网络遍布整个社会，照亮廿一世纪。     

Competition in high technology: analysis of patents of US, Japan,UK, France, West Germany, and Canada

Using US patents as a surrogate measure of technological positions, the competitive positions of the industrial nations (the US, United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Canada, and Japan) in high-technology areas during the period from 1975 to 1988 are examined. High-technology industry is defined as one which requires a high proportion of R&D expenditure and employs a high proportion of scientists and engineers. High-tech industries are further subdivided into four categories (equipment, consumer durable, nondurable, and intermediate products) in terms of their market and/or use. How different countries have specialized in different product market areas within the high tech sector is also examined. To better understand the impact of the patients, the citations per patent for the different countries and the citation performance ratio, which is the share of country's most highly cited patents on a worldwide basis, are examined     

微型传声器中国专利申请状况分析

以CNABS数据库公开微型传声器技术领域相关的专利文献为基础,对中国的微型传声器技术的专利申请进行了统计分析,并介绍了几个主要申请人的重点发明专利,为中国传声器行业的技术发展提出建议,同时对业界人员专利布局工作给出参考。     

Development of New Technology Forecasting Algorithm: Hybrid Approach for Morphology Analysis and Conjoint Analysis of Patent Information

Despite being a strong stimulus for the invention of new alternatives, morphology analysis (MA) suffers the limitations of being a nonquantitative, vague, and static methodology. As a consequence, the MA outcomes typically do not provide practical technology opportunities. This paper, therefore, proposes a new hybrid approach that enhances the performance of MA by combining it with conjoint analysis (CA) and citation analysis of patent information. First, keywords are extracted from patent documents using text mining, and the morphology of existing patents is identified by these keywords. Alternatives for new technology development from among the emerging technologies are presented by combining the valuable levels of each attribute in a morphology matrix predefined by domain experts. Then, configurations of new technology are suggested in order of priority using CA, and the technological feasibility of each new configuration is subsequently investigated. The technological competitiveness of a company can be analyzed by a newly suggested index, ldquotechnology share,rdquo which is analogous to the concept of market share in traditional CA. The proposed MA-CA hybrid process is illustrated with a case example of patent information from the thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) patent database.     

Patent prescription: a radical cure for the ailing [US patent policy]

This work discusses the problems with the current patent system in the US. While the US patent policy makes it easier to obtain patents, to enforce patents against others, and to extract large financial awards from such enforcement, it has become harder for those accused of infringing patents to challenge the patents' validity. To address the problem, a patent policy reform program was initiated based on three proposals: first, create incentives and opportunities for parties to challenge the novelty and nonobviousness of an invention before a patent is granted, second, provide multiple levels of application review, with examiners devoting successively more time and effort as an application proceeds to higher levels, and third, in cases involving claims of patent invalidity based on the existence of prior act, replace juries with judges who could call on experts for guidance. The first two proposals aim to make the PTO more effective at a reasonable cost. The third addresses the reality that since even the best of all possible PTOs will make mistakes, a court system capable of correcting them is necessary.     

Dead patents walking

With 562 US patents to his credit, Jerome Lemelson was the most prolific inventor since Thomas Edison (1093 patents). His inventions pop up in camcorders, VCRs, bar code readers, automated teller machines, machine vision systems, and more. But Lemelson, who died in 1997 at age 74, may have accomplished less than meets the eye. His detractors attribute much of his success to the use of Byzantine tactics for exploiting loopholes in the patent system. Even Arthur Lieberman, his former attorney, believes he simply had a knack for figuring out where an industry was headed, and then claiming that he had already been there. 'In many cases, Lemelson didn't patent inventions', Lieberman told Fortune magazine, 'he invented patents' . However, the loopholes in the patent process exploited by Lemelson, may be finally closing in on him. This paper briefly describes how Lemelson exploited the patent system and discusses a case in progress against the Lemelson Partnership regrading bar code patents     

Festo, schmesto! [patent law and the doctrine of equivalents]

Does a recent US Supreme Court decision in the case of Festo Corp. versus Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., Ltd., expand or limit the rights of patent holders to sue copycats? This article discusses the "doctrine of equivalents," which allows the patent holder to expand a patent beyond its literal terms to cover subject matter it doesn't expressly mention. At its heart are two premises: first, it is difficult to capture the full scope of technical innovation in words; and second, some people are wiseguys. No matter how carefully a patent claim is worded, no matter how well it appears to cover an invention, there will always be those who will search eagerly for the loophole, a way to circumvent language and avoid infringement. Patent law rewards innovation with exclusivity for a limited time period. But the reason patents are printed and published is to encourage still further innovation. The problem arises when someone slyly avoids a patent's language without contributing anything new-in effect, appropriating the benefits of an invention without enriching the art. Ultimately, the doctrine of equivalents plays a marginal role in patent law. That's because reasonably well-written patent claims are not, in the main, easy to avoid if the benefits of the invention are to be retained. Courts apply the doctrine to catch the occasional wiseguy while defending the certainty patent claims are supposed to provide. The Supreme Courts latest adjustment notwithstanding, that role is likely to continue     

透过专利看微处理器的技术发展（一）——早期微处理器的发展历程

在调研大量专利文献的基础上，结合专利的保护范围分析、专利权人分析、对比分析和引证分析，探寻了第一件微处理器（CPU功能集成在一块半导体芯片上）发明，简述了第一台单片机（MCU）和DSP处理器专利，从微处理器初期三大发展方向CPU、MCU、DSP角度阐述了微处理器的早期发展历程。     

The telecommunication and information industries: US patent policy and the criterion of non-obviousness

In this topic discussion paper, the legal and public policy issues surrounding the “novel” and “non-obvious” criterion that the US Patent and Trademark Office uses in awarding a patent are explored. The application of the latter criteria for granting a patent – that the invention be “non-obvious” – has been a significant concern for many firms in the telecommunications and information industries. Following an introduction discussing the Constitutional basis of intellectual property rights and the criteria employed by the US Patent and Trademark Office in awarding patent rights, this paper will explain the modern evolution of the legal expression “non-obviousness”, up to, and including, the most recent patent appeals case (and potentially the one having the most far-reaching impact on patent granting) heard by the US Supreme Court, KSR International Co. v. Teleflex. Inc. et al. In the next section, a review of three major national policy reports on reforming the US patent system (two national reports and one by an academic economist) – focusing on the expert recommendations pertaining to the implementation of the legal expression of “non-obviousness” – is undertaken. Lastly, the final section of the paper offers a patent policy discussion associated with the latest interpretation of the “non-obviousness” criterion, and explains possible policy effects on the competitive environment of the telecommunications and information industries.     

一种实现无线数据网络差异化接入的方法

通过深层次分析无线网络资源控制过程和相关协议,以及吸取传统QoS业务模型和传统动态带宽分配方法 (DBA)的优点,发明了一种实现无线数据网络差异化接入的方法,可以实现在无线网络数据业务中结合不同用户等级与业务类型提供差异化服务。该发明专利申请已由国家知识产权局受理(申请号201110324444.7)。     

Invention: Patently Obvious

Generally speaking, in order to be patentable an invention has to be both new and unobvious. While newness is a fairly easy objective determination, unobviousness necessarily involves a subjective determination. This paper presents two controversial inventions and their patents to illustrate the issues involved in determining obviousness. The first case involves the Furminator pet grooming tool, while the second case involves a novel power supply system for document and image scanners. The paper also focuses on the current case pending before the US Supreme Court involving Teleflex and its competitor, KSR International. The Supreme Court is tasked to decide whether a combination of preexisting components, wherein those components individually do nothing more than what they were designed to do, is patentable     

Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model: A Meta‐Analysis

This study relies on state‐of‐the‐art meta‐analytical techniques to assess overall effects of the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model. The results support the utility of the RISP model in predicting risk information seeking and systematic processing. However, the model demonstrated limited explanatory power for heuristic processing. A reduced model composed of only 2 variables—current knowledge and informational subjective norms—accounted for a substantial proportion of variance in the outcome variables. This more parsimonious explanation of information seeking and systematic processing might extend the utility of the RISP model to other communication settings not related to risk. Theoretical boundaries of the RISP model and implications for future research are discussed.     

美军网络信息安全建设发展现状研究与启示

美国是互联网技术发源地,美军成为当今世界网络信息安全的领跑者,了解并研究美军网络信息安全发展,对我军如何应对当前严峻的网络信息安全挑战具有极其重大的意义。文中对美军网络信息安全的地位、管理体制、相关制度等方面进行介绍,通过了解美军网络信息安全的发展现状、研究美军主要网络信息安全计划及防范策略,结合当前我军网络信息安全发展实际,提出了建设我军网络信息安全策略的启示。     

Electrical Engineering Hall of Fame: Lee de Forest

In 1922, the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) selected Lee de Forest as the fifth recipient of its Medal of Honor. He was cited for "his major contributions to the communications arts and sciences, as particularly exemplified by his invention of that outstandingly significant device: the three-electrode vacuum tube, and his work in the fields of radio telephonic transmission and reception". He served a term as president of the IRE in 1930. He also received the Edison Medal of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) in 1946, becoming one of only seven to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Edison Medal prior to 1962. He became known for having a rather flamboyant personality and was a very prolific inventor, receiving more than 300 patents during his career. Like some other pioneers in radio and electronics, he expended considerable time and energy on litigation related to his patents.     

Microstrip Slow‐Wave Open‐Loop Resonator Filters with Reduced Size and Improved Stopband Characteristics

This paper presents a new class of microstrip slow‐wave open‐loop resonator filters with reduced size and improved stopband characteristics. A comprehensive treatment of both ends loaded with triangular and rectangular ends is described, leading to the invention of a microstrip slow‐wave open‐loop resonator. Two‐resonator and four‐resonator bandpass filters are designed at the operating frequency of about 2 GHz, and a bandwidth of 60 MHz. The size of the slow‐wave open‐loop resonator is optimized from the standpoint of the unloaded Q‐factor. The filters are not only compact in size due to the slow‐wave effect, but also have a wider upper stopband resulting from the dispersion effect. The filter designs of this type are described in details. The experimental results are demonstrated and discussed.     

Organic Light‐Emitting Diode Sensing Platform: Challenges and Solutions

The organic light‐emitting diode (OLED)‐based sensing platform is gaining momentum due to unique attributes of the compact OLEDs that are used as excitation sources. This paper, however, points to issues related to this sensing platform that will affect many (bio)chemical sensing applications, in particular in photoluminescence (PL)‐based sensors operated in the advantageous time domain, where pulsed OLEDs are utilized. The issues are related to the post‐pulse electroluminescence (EL) profile, i.e., transient EL, which depends on the OLED materials and structure, and to the long‐wavelength tail of the typically broad‐band EL spectrum. Depending on materials and device structure, the transient EL may exhibit spikes peaking at ～100–200 ns and μs‐long tails. As shown, these interfere with the determination of PL decay times (that are related to analyte concentrations) of sensing elements. The results also indicate that the long‐wavelength tail of the EL spectrum contributes to the interfering post‐pulse μs‐long EL tail. Hence, it is shown that the choice of OLED materials, the use of microcavity (μC) OLEDs with tunable, narrower EL bands, and the use of UV OLEDs alleviate these issues, resulting in more reliable data analysis. Furthermore, a 2‐D uniform 2 μm‐pitch microlens array that was previously used for improving light extraction from the OLEDs (J.‐M. Park et al., Optics Express 2011 , 19, A786) is used for directional PL scattering toward the photodetector, which leads to a ～2.1–3.8 fold enhancement of the PL signal. This behavior is shown for oxygen sensing, which is the basis for sensing of bioanalytes such as glucose, lactate, ethanol, cholesterol, and uric acid.     

How Europe missed the transistor

This paper relates how the invention of the transistor occurred twice and independently of each other. In late 1948, shortly after Bell Telephone Labs announced the invention of the transistor, surprising reports began coming in from Europe about how two physicists from the German radar program, claimed to have invented a strikingly similar semiconductor device, which they called the transistron. This dual, nearly simultaneous breakthrough can be attributed in part to the tremendous wartime advances in purifying silicon and, in particular, germanium. In both cases, germanium played the crucial gateway role, for in the immediate postwar years it could be refined much more easily and with substantially higher purities than silicon.     

透过专利看微处理器的技术发展（三）——预译码技术专利引证分析

本文在调研大量专利文献的基础上,通过专利引证分析对微处理器的预译码技术进行了深入分析。确定了技术发展历程,揭示不同时期技术要素的特征,以及技术要素的变化,为新产品开发计划提供线索。同时从引证指数、引用率、相对研发能力、即时影响指数四项专利引证指标对微处理器预译码的尖端技术和相关企业的研发实力进行分析,从而识别孤立的专利和活跃的专利,研究主要专利权人的专利影响能力或专利质量。     

Under the glare of a thousand suns-the pioneering works of Sir J.C.Bose

The origin of solid-state diode detectors of wireless waves has been traced to Sir J.C. Bose's pioneering millimeter-wave propagation experiments with certain polarizing crystals during 1896-1898. His seminal paper published in the January 1897 issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society is reproduced in this issue to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the invention of the solid-state diode detector. The world's first patent on the solid-state diode detector invented by Bose and taken out in the United States, is also reproduced in full in this issue. Bose's further pioneering work with diode detectors, then known as “self-restoring coherers”, is discussed in particular his invention of the “iron-mercury-iron contact with a telephone” detector that received the first transatlantic wireless signal of Marconi on December 12, 1901