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Foundations of Technology
Nature of Technology: Relationships Among Technologies
practice
Apply:
Patent Search and Process

These practice activities are designed to provide opportunities to explore the core concepts of technology and the core technologies presented in this lesson, as well as providing immediate feedback on your understanding of the concepts presented.
Are You a Novelty or Commodity? A Patent Search

Problem: You have designed a few innovative items in this course. Now you must see if you have designed an item that could be issued a United States Patent. You are going to determine if on of your designs is too similar to existing designs registered light bulbin the U.S. Patent Office or if your design has a unique feature, function, or purpose that would earn it a U.S. Patent.

Criteria and Constraints:

  • You should spend at least 30 minutes looking for possible patents similar to your item and record what you find on the Patent Tracker Sheet.

Background Information: Using the US Patent Office Web Site patent search page found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html search for similar patented products.

  • Select an innovation or invention.
  • Use the quick search tool to enter up to two keywords to use.
  • You could get a couple hundred hits on your search, so try to use more specific keywords
    • i.e. "High Definition" & "Television" instead of "Television."
      • HINT: Search the Title first. It will usually give you the most reliable results
  • Click on the title of various patents to see if they may be similar to your innovation.
    • HINT: Many patents contain images or schematic drawings. Click the IMAGES link to view images of that patents.
      • Not all patents have images.
      • Be sure to give enough time for the large images to download. Sometimes it helps to click forward and backward to get the image to show.
  • You don't have to read the entire patent. Read the "abstract," which is a short description of the patent. It will give you a good idea about what is patented and if it is similar to your item.
  • If you find innovations or inventions similar to your object/product, record the patent number(s) on the Patent Tracker Worksheet.

Video: Conducting a Patent Search
Be sure to turn the volume on your computer up to hear the narration on the video.

Materials

  • None

Presentation: You will present your findings on the discussion board in the poll and comment topic, "Patent Search." You will have either found a similar item in your patent search, or you will determine your item is sufficiently different from all other items that it could be issued a U.S. patent.

In the subject field you will type one of the following subject headers.

  • Type "New Patent Application" if you feel your item could be issued a U.S. patent.
    • Attach your Patent Tracker Worksheet with the results of your searching and the completed patent "application."
    • In the body of the message, explain to the class why your item is good enough for a U.S. patent.
  • Type "Need Help with My Design" if you found patented items that are too similar to your item and it could not be issued a U.S. patent.
    • Attach your Patent Tracker Worksheet with the results of your searching.
    • Brainstorm a list of ways you could improve your item to perhaps be issued a U.S. patent

Assignment: Patent Search Poll and Comment

Once you have completed your search post your Patent Tracker Worksheet to the discussion topic Patent Search. Help at least two other students by giving them brief feedback about their new item.

  • If a student is in need of help, offer additional ways that student could improve the design.
  • If a student is applying for a U.S. patent, offer comment about the design and real world application of the new item.

Be sure to follow proper online etiquette - no insults, no shouting, no put-downs.

 
 
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