10,000,000 Patents
June 22, 2018 7:14 AM Subscribe
On Tuesday the 19th of June, the US Patent Office granted it's 10,000,000th patent. Inventor Joseph Marron and patent assignee Raytheon Company received this patent for a “Coherent LADAR Using Intra-Pixel Quadrature Detection,” which improves laser detection and ranging (LADAR). A new patent cover was released at SXSW in anticipation of this event, originally anticipated to occur at some point this summer. The USPTO has created a special website, 10 Million Patents, with a timeline of the intellectual property process (sliced bread, Hedy Lamarr, the Slinky!).
The rate of patent granting in the US has accelerated to an amazing rate: It took 121 years to issue the first million patents (1790-1911), but just four years to move from patent 8 million to patent 9 million (2011-2015) and three years to move from patent 9 million to patent 10 million.
Also from the USPTO:
• The first US patent was issued on July 31, 1790, to Samuel Hopkins for a process of making potash, an ingredient used in fertilizer President George Washington signed the first patent
• Patent no 1: The U S government had issued 9,957 patents before starting a numbering system on July 13, 1836 On that occasion, U S patent no 1 was issued to John Ruggles for a traction wheel for steam locomotives
• Patent no 1 million was issued on August 8, 1911, to Francis H Holton, for a tubeless vehicle tire
• Patent no 2 million was issued on April 30, 1935, to Joseph Ledwinka for a vehicle wheel to increase the safety and longevity of pneumatic tires
• Patent no 3 million was issued September 12, 1961, to Kenneth Eldredge for an automated system that translated letters, numbers and symbols to data processing code
• Patent no 4 million was issued on December 28, 1976, to Robert Mendenhall for a process for recycling asphalt aggregate compositions
• Patent no 5 million was issued on March 19, 1991, to the University of Florida Lonnie O Ingram and others invented an innovative way to produce fuel ethanol
• Patent no 6 million was issued on December 7, 1999, to 3Com Corporation’s Palm Computing Jeffery Hawkins and others invented an extendible method and apparatus for synchronizing multiple files on two different computer systems
• Patent no 7 million was issued on February 14, 2006, to E I du Pont de Nemours and Company John O’Brien invented a process for producing polysaccharide fibers
• Patent no 8 million was issued on August 16, 2011, to Second Sight Medical Products, Inc Robert Greenberg and others invented a visual prosthesis apparatus
• Patent no 9 million was issued on April 7, 2015, to WiperFill Holdings LLC Matthew Carroll invented a system of collecting rainwater to replenish a windshield wiper reservoir and windshield washer conditioner
In 2016, the national archives released a coloring book of unusual patents (pdf). There are also many lists of strange, strange, crazy, absurd and weird and wonderful patents available online.
The rate of patent granting in the US has accelerated to an amazing rate: It took 121 years to issue the first million patents (1790-1911), but just four years to move from patent 8 million to patent 9 million (2011-2015) and three years to move from patent 9 million to patent 10 million.
Also from the USPTO:
• The first US patent was issued on July 31, 1790, to Samuel Hopkins for a process of making potash, an ingredient used in fertilizer President George Washington signed the first patent
• Patent no 1: The U S government had issued 9,957 patents before starting a numbering system on July 13, 1836 On that occasion, U S patent no 1 was issued to John Ruggles for a traction wheel for steam locomotives
• Patent no 1 million was issued on August 8, 1911, to Francis H Holton, for a tubeless vehicle tire
• Patent no 2 million was issued on April 30, 1935, to Joseph Ledwinka for a vehicle wheel to increase the safety and longevity of pneumatic tires
• Patent no 3 million was issued September 12, 1961, to Kenneth Eldredge for an automated system that translated letters, numbers and symbols to data processing code
• Patent no 4 million was issued on December 28, 1976, to Robert Mendenhall for a process for recycling asphalt aggregate compositions
• Patent no 5 million was issued on March 19, 1991, to the University of Florida Lonnie O Ingram and others invented an innovative way to produce fuel ethanol
• Patent no 6 million was issued on December 7, 1999, to 3Com Corporation’s Palm Computing Jeffery Hawkins and others invented an extendible method and apparatus for synchronizing multiple files on two different computer systems
• Patent no 7 million was issued on February 14, 2006, to E I du Pont de Nemours and Company John O’Brien invented a process for producing polysaccharide fibers
• Patent no 8 million was issued on August 16, 2011, to Second Sight Medical Products, Inc Robert Greenberg and others invented a visual prosthesis apparatus
• Patent no 9 million was issued on April 7, 2015, to WiperFill Holdings LLC Matthew Carroll invented a system of collecting rainwater to replenish a windshield wiper reservoir and windshield washer conditioner
In 2016, the national archives released a coloring book of unusual patents (pdf). There are also many lists of strange, strange, crazy, absurd and weird and wonderful patents available online.
I'd love to know how many of that jump between 5 and 6 million was patents based on software and the web.
posted by kimota at 7:25 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by kimota at 7:25 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
The trolls are still kicking. There are a few more tools for fighting them than there used to be, but they're still destroying lots of businesses.
Also, these "milestone" patents are hand-picked by the patent office, to find an interesting patent with a sympathetic owner. This was confirmed by FOIA documents regarding the 9 millionths patent. I don't mean this as a dig on the patent office. It's just to say that looking only at these might give you a skewed view of what most modern patents look like.
posted by roll truck roll at 7:29 AM on June 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
Also, these "milestone" patents are hand-picked by the patent office, to find an interesting patent with a sympathetic owner. This was confirmed by FOIA documents regarding the 9 millionths patent. I don't mean this as a dig on the patent office. It's just to say that looking only at these might give you a skewed view of what most modern patents look like.
posted by roll truck roll at 7:29 AM on June 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
Bah, the old cover was just fine. The overuse of gold lettering feels very Trumpian.
The rate of patent granting in the US has accelerated to an amazing rate
This is partly because of the historically unusual pace of technological development and partly because for the past few years most US patents have been granted for inventions made outside the US*, reflecting the globalization of R&D and trade. People invent things outside the US and also want to sell them in the US, so they apply for a US patent. As large countries like China and India become R&D centers in their own right and the US remains economically prosperous, it's to be expected that the rate of patent granting in the US would increase very quickly.
* Caveat: this is usually determined somewhat coarsely by looking at the country of residence of the first listed inventor, not a specific inquiry into where the inventive work was done.
posted by jedicus at 7:34 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
The rate of patent granting in the US has accelerated to an amazing rate
This is partly because of the historically unusual pace of technological development and partly because for the past few years most US patents have been granted for inventions made outside the US*, reflecting the globalization of R&D and trade. People invent things outside the US and also want to sell them in the US, so they apply for a US patent. As large countries like China and India become R&D centers in their own right and the US remains economically prosperous, it's to be expected that the rate of patent granting in the US would increase very quickly.
* Caveat: this is usually determined somewhat coarsely by looking at the country of residence of the first listed inventor, not a specific inquiry into where the inventive work was done.
posted by jedicus at 7:34 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also, these "milestone" patents are hand-picked by the patent office, to find an interesting patent with a sympathetic owner.
I'll have to admit, with an honest level of IP nerdery, that I was really excitedly curious to see what technology got pinged for the 10,000,000th. We were throwing around some ideas here at work last week, when we knew the number was getting close. I'm kind of ok with it being tied to autonomous vehicles. Given that I'm still holding out for the jetpack the Jetsons promised me.
posted by librarianamy at 7:37 AM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'll have to admit, with an honest level of IP nerdery, that I was really excitedly curious to see what technology got pinged for the 10,000,000th. We were throwing around some ideas here at work last week, when we knew the number was getting close. I'm kind of ok with it being tied to autonomous vehicles. Given that I'm still holding out for the jetpack the Jetsons promised me.
posted by librarianamy at 7:37 AM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
The time between million milestones is interesting: going from roughly 24 years between 1M and 2M, to 26 years, 15 years, 14 years, 8 years, 7 years, 5 years, 4 years, and now 3 years for the most recent million.
I'm listed as primary inventor on one somewhere in the mid 6 millions, which seems like a lifetime ago.
posted by rocket88 at 7:39 AM on June 22, 2018
I'm listed as primary inventor on one somewhere in the mid 6 millions, which seems like a lifetime ago.
posted by rocket88 at 7:39 AM on June 22, 2018
Can I share my favorite image from a patent? Huh? I'm gonna share it. Mercury Capsule retrofitted for tickling space aliens.
Oh sure, the patent says it's for manipulating satellites, etc., but it's clearly not.
posted by Quindar Beep at 7:42 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oh sure, the patent says it's for manipulating satellites, etc., but it's clearly not.
posted by Quindar Beep at 7:42 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
My name is on four ridiculous software patents. Is there any way to get my record expunged?
posted by Slothrup at 8:05 AM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Slothrup at 8:05 AM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
My name is on four ridiculous software patents. Is there any way to get my record expunged?
Possibly, but since the patents have already issued you would need the cooperation of all of the other listed inventors and assignees (i.e. whoever owns the patents now). You could talk to a patent attorney or patent agent about it, if you're serious.
posted by jedicus at 8:32 AM on June 22, 2018
Possibly, but since the patents have already issued you would need the cooperation of all of the other listed inventors and assignees (i.e. whoever owns the patents now). You could talk to a patent attorney or patent agent about it, if you're serious.
posted by jedicus at 8:32 AM on June 22, 2018
I just want to emphasize how rad it is that we can thank a famous actress and an avant-garde composer for developing technologies that underpin our entire wireless communications infrastructure. Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil are incredible.
posted by Existential Dread at 8:48 AM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Existential Dread at 8:48 AM on June 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
Ha, this thread is bringing out the real MetaFilter IP nerds. Yes, the milestone patents are hand-picked, and tend to be disproportionately (1) solo inventors and (2) assigned to a US company.
My name is on four ridiculous software patents. Is there any way to get my record expunged?
I mean yeah, call your patent lawyer, but if you were legitimately a contributing inventor, your name needs to stay on there for it to be valid. I doubt the assignee company will take it off just to do you a solid. You can do penance by always including a copyright date when you publish a CS paper. One of the most frustrating things about defeating software patents is that CS academics "publish" by constantly barfing out the latest version of their LaTeX file into a PS and posting it to a website somewhere with no embedded date! Without a publication date it's no use to me.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 8:48 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
My name is on four ridiculous software patents. Is there any way to get my record expunged?
I mean yeah, call your patent lawyer, but if you were legitimately a contributing inventor, your name needs to stay on there for it to be valid. I doubt the assignee company will take it off just to do you a solid. You can do penance by always including a copyright date when you publish a CS paper. One of the most frustrating things about defeating software patents is that CS academics "publish" by constantly barfing out the latest version of their LaTeX file into a PS and posting it to a website somewhere with no embedded date! Without a publication date it's no use to me.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 8:48 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Aaaaand a few of my favorite patents n patent applications (previously):
US Patent 6,293,874: User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks.
US Patent Application 2006/0094518: The Manually Self-Operated Butt-Kicking Machine
aaaaand for the fashion-forward among us
US 6,473,908: Garment having a buttocks cleavage revealing feature
posted by Existential Dread at 8:56 AM on June 22, 2018
US Patent 6,293,874: User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks.
US Patent Application 2006/0094518: The Manually Self-Operated Butt-Kicking Machine
aaaaand for the fashion-forward among us
US 6,473,908: Garment having a buttocks cleavage revealing feature
posted by Existential Dread at 8:56 AM on June 22, 2018
Existential Dread that last one was by a plumber, right?
posted by evilDoug at 9:47 AM on June 22, 2018
posted by evilDoug at 9:47 AM on June 22, 2018
I'd love to know how many of that jump between 5 and 6 million was patents based on software and the web.
I have 17 patents, all but one in the 5.2M - 7.2M range, and ALL based on software and the web. Ironically, the only one that made a significant impact was # 4,428,057.
posted by ubiquity at 9:50 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
I have 17 patents, all but one in the 5.2M - 7.2M range, and ALL based on software and the web. Ironically, the only one that made a significant impact was # 4,428,057.
posted by ubiquity at 9:50 AM on June 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Are patents good? I mean, within capitalism, they might serve a role in avoiding competitors stealing an idea and leaving you with nothing for your work, but outside of that... is there a good reason for patents apart from as a historical record?
Is there perhaps some safety & accountability issue, or is that not covered by patents?
posted by AnhydrousLove at 10:57 AM on June 22, 2018
Is there perhaps some safety & accountability issue, or is that not covered by patents?
posted by AnhydrousLove at 10:57 AM on June 22, 2018
The general idea behind patents is that the inventor gets a limited-term monopoly, in exchange for describing exactly how the invention is made. Once the patent expires, not only is it legal for anyone to make and sell the thing, it's also possible because the patent tells you exactly how to do it. Also, the detailed description of the invention is useful to anyone trying to make improvements on it.
How well that works in practice is up for debate, but that's the theory.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:28 AM on June 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
How well that works in practice is up for debate, but that's the theory.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:28 AM on June 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
Hedy Lamarr
Hedley.
One of my all time favorite Mel Brooks Movie Easter Eggs. (Better than all the cast names in Spaceballs combined, IMO)
A fictionalized version of Hedy Lamarr was one of Charlie Chaplin's fighting teammates in the epic webcomic The Fuhrer And the Tramp, along with a more-heroic-than-real-life Errol Flynn and a later group of other celebrities, including Ian Fleming, Josephine Baker, Christopher Lee and a very young Jon Pertwee. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates good Nazi-punching.
But I digress.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:29 AM on June 22, 2018
Hedley.
One of my all time favorite Mel Brooks Movie Easter Eggs. (Better than all the cast names in Spaceballs combined, IMO)
A fictionalized version of Hedy Lamarr was one of Charlie Chaplin's fighting teammates in the epic webcomic The Fuhrer And the Tramp, along with a more-heroic-than-real-life Errol Flynn and a later group of other celebrities, including Ian Fleming, Josephine Baker, Christopher Lee and a very young Jon Pertwee. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates good Nazi-punching.
But I digress.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:29 AM on June 22, 2018
Are patents good?
Depends on which economist you believe / how committed you are to certain moral views about intellectual property, regardless of the economic consequences.
Some economists say yes, patents are a net economic good. Some economists say no, they are a net economic waste. Some people would say that intellectual property rights are morally important whether they are economically beneficial or not. Others would say that intellectual property is immoral even if it's economically beneficial.
How well that works in practice is up for debate, but that's the theory.
NB: That's basically the disclosure theory, which is only one of a few different theories for why patents are good or why they work.
posted by jedicus at 2:17 PM on June 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
Depends on which economist you believe / how committed you are to certain moral views about intellectual property, regardless of the economic consequences.
Some economists say yes, patents are a net economic good. Some economists say no, they are a net economic waste. Some people would say that intellectual property rights are morally important whether they are economically beneficial or not. Others would say that intellectual property is immoral even if it's economically beneficial.
How well that works in practice is up for debate, but that's the theory.
NB: That's basically the disclosure theory, which is only one of a few different theories for why patents are good or why they work.
posted by jedicus at 2:17 PM on June 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
In other patent news this week: the EFF celebrates Alice’s 4th Birthday. That is Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International, to which the Supreme Court issued their opinion 4 years ago.
posted by Martijn at 4:32 AM on June 23, 2018
posted by Martijn at 4:32 AM on June 23, 2018
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