I’m an intellectual property attorney by training. As a result, I get a lot of questions from people about patents. Do you think this idea is patentable? Do I need to hire an attorney? How much will it cost?

I’ve always enjoyed interacting with inventors. They are often very excited about their ideas and love teaching others about their innovations. If it’s a great idea that has potential commercial value, I encourage people to look into getting a patent. Unfortunately, because of recent changes by the courts, Congress and the U.S. Patent Office (and more changes are in the pipeline), it has become much more difficult, and likely to get even more difficult, to obtain and commercialize a patent the United States. The pendulum was swung from being overly pro-patent to becoming anti-patent. However, since the patent system has served us well in the past and innovation is such an important driver in our economy, I expect (and hope) the pendulum swings back to a more moderate position.

In any event, if you are still interested in trying to obtain a US Patent, there are some initial steps I usually suggest to save costs and go through the process more efficiently.

The following are just suggestions (Not Legal Advice):

Preparing, filing, prosecuting, maintaining and commercializing a patent can be very expensive. Although you can do most of this yourself, including prosecuting your patent application “pro se” before the US Patent Office, I recommend working with a patent attorney or registered patent agent because of the complexities in patent law (surprised?). However, I recognize this can be expensive.

Therefore, I usually advise individuals to do a patent search first (www.uspto.gov allows free patent searching, as does Google’s patent search engine) to not only (1) determine if your invention is patentable (e.g., confirm that no one else has already patented or disclosed the concept) but also (2) to find close patents to use as templates or samples for your patent application, which will save money on fees.

Reason (1) is pretty straightforward - you don’t want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a patent application that is easily invalidated or rejected because it’s not patentable due to a prior patent. You should also keep an eye out for any patents that include claims that may cover what you are planning to commercialize. If you cannot design around the patent or develop defenses against it, you may need to obtain a license from the other patent owner.

Reason (2) is also important since many inventions are improvements of existing technologies. Your invention may be the next generation technology that builds on a previous technology (notice the patent cited below was issued in 2007 for “a better mouse trap”). Patents relating to the previous technology may be good templates for your application and you may come up with new ideas while reviewing other patents.

As a first step, I’d recommend searching on the USPTO.gov database using different combinations of keyword search terms (e.g., (mouse OR rat OR rodent) AND (trap OR catch)) and see what hits you get. There are two problems with key word searching: (1) too many hits making it difficult to narrow and (2) too many synonyms which may result in missing some relevant patents.

Accordingly, once you find some relevant patents, look at where they are classified within the US patent classification system (in the sample below, the patent is classified in US Classes 43/67 and 43/66). You can better focus your searching by limiting your search to the class/subclass the relevant patents should be classified in (see, http://www.uspto.gov/go/classification/selectnumwithtitle.htm).

Moreover, once you find a relevant or related patent, you can click the “[Referenced By]” button to find patents that cite the patent and are thus likely also relevant. Also review the prior patents that are listed on the patents you are reviewing (these are patents that were considered during the prosecution of the patent you are reviewing and may also be relevant).

In addition, try searching for patents owned by companies in the same field (e.g., AN/Microsoft).

Patents that are close to, but still don’t disclose, your invention can be converted to Word documents and used as templates for writing your patent application. Writing such a draft application should save costs if you later use a patent attorney/agent to finalize the application for filing.

Good Luck!

John

Founder, MeetingWave.com

MeetingWave.com – the online tool for arranging meetings with new people offline for business or social purposes.   It’s free and easy to use.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** United States Patent 7,216,457 Hanning, Jr. May 15, 2007

Mouse trap

Abstract : The disclosure is directed to a mouse trap for insertion through the opening in the top of a pop can. The trap is formed of one piece stainless spring steel and includes a can-engaging element affixed to a can-engaging clip for engaging opposed surfaces of the pop can top. An intermediate element is affixed to the can-engaging element and to support element which, in turn, is affixed to a bait support element. The trap obstructs the can opening when the trap is in the release or sprung position.

Inventors: Hanning, Jr.; Robert Cooper (Long Lake, MN)

Appl. No.: 11/350,527 Filed: February 10, 2006

Current U.S. Class: 43/67 ; 43/66

Current International Class: A01M 23/08 (20060101)

Field of Search: 43/67,65,66,76

References Cited [Referenced By]

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose site of the shore”  Andre Gide

I like this quote since it applies to both innovation and making new contacts or friends.   To innovate, you often need to depart from the conventional and making new contacts sometimes requires stepping outside your circle of friends.

Have a great weekend.

Regards,

John

founder, meetingwave.com

It’s all about real world connections. Who do you know? Whether you are looking for a job, hoping to get your foot in the door with a customer, trying to secure a first meeting with a venture capital firm or seeking new clients, your personal “real world” contacts are critical. As stated in one of our earlier blogs, the point about networking is that every new business or social relationship starts with two or more strangers meeting. We built MeetingWave to help you form new business and social relationships through meetings with new people – anytime, anyplace. Here are some examples of how you can use MeetingWave to network or simply meet new people and build your network of contacts to reach your goals – anytime, anyplace.

• Are you looking for a job or considering a job offer? Try posting recurring Invites to meet with former or current employees of companies you’re interested in. Get the benefit of talking to those “in the know.” Also, try posting invites to meet with fellow alumni, people with common interests or fellow job hunters. Also, set up one or more Meeting Alerts to be notified of Invites posted by others in your area and accept any of interest. Making new contacts can help you secure your next job. (See, Find the Right Job or Opportunity Using MeetingWave)

• Are you an attorney striving to become a rainmaker? Try posting a recurring Invite for lunch near your office with fellow alumni, other attorneys, or people interested in learning about your practice. You can specify the types of people you want to meet (e.g., people in corporate or business development). Emphasize your expertise and knowledge in your Profile and in the Invite description. Your pool of potential clients is out there waiting for you. (See, MeetingWave – A New Tool for RainMakers)

• Are you a realtor trying to find your next client or sell a home? Try posting a recurring Invite at a local coffee shop to meet with potential buyers or sellers. Describe the areas and neighborhoods you represent in your Profile and in the Invite description and ask other members to create a Profile that includes background information before they accept your Invite. Offer to pay for the coffee. You can approve or decline any acceptance so you decide who you meet and whether the meeting occurs. Why not try it today?

• Are you in sales and looking to bring in more business? Try posting Invites at your next conference or tradeshow to meet potential customers and Invites when you are on the road or near home or work. Why not? It’s free and easy to use. You can be as detailed as you want in your Invite description. Let everyone know, for example, that you want to meet with employees of a company in your sales pipeline. Offer to pick up lunch to get more leads and have the opportunity to pitch your product or service during the meeting. You’ll still decide who to meet and when.

• Are you interested in meeting people and making new friends? Try posting a recurring Invite to meet new people. Post an Invite to meet with fellow sports fans in your city, newcomers to your town, people who share common interests, etc. Increasing the number of real world social contacts can often help you on the business front as well. Remember, MeetingWave provides you with a high degree of control – even when you’re looking to meet new people! You set the time, date and location of your proposed meeting. You can describe the types of people you want to meet. You can decline, for any reason, to meet with anyone who has accepted your Invite.

Try MeetingWave today – it’s free and easy to use!

Regards,

John, founder

We believe it’s important for everyone to expand their network of real world contacts. However, not everyone thinks about or is comfortable meeting new people or otherwise networking. A recent NY Times article by Hannah Seligson entitled “Girl Power at School, but Not at the Office” does a great job describing how important networking is to professional success:

The old-boys’ club proves that men have long known that a professional network is imperative to success. Women don’t have as much of a tradition of business networking (“Do you want to go grab a beer?” doesn’t quite roll off our tongues) and, understandably, they may feel awkward or clueless about how to do it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/jobs/31pre.html?_r=1

I had a similar experience to Ms. Seligson after college, and wished I had devoted more time earlier in my career both to networking and self promotion. Establishing new contacts can open new doors for jobs and career advancements. The more people an individual knows, the greater the likelihood of learning about new opportunities.

Browsing invites on MeetingWave, or even posting your own, is an effective way to start building your network. You can even start by posting invites to your contacts on LinkedIn and Facebook so you can get to know some of your ‘virtual’ contacts face-to-face. If you are feeling more adventurous, you can create a public invitation to meet new people in your neighborhood. You can describe the type of people you want to meet, approve or decline any acceptance, and control who you will meet and whether the meeting will occur.

Remember - MeetingWave is free, easy to use and flexible.

Happy New Year!

Tina Marquis, Marketing Director

Did you make any? January 1 should not be the only day we each make a promise to ourselves to do certain things we’ve always wanted to do or to better ourselves. BUT, if you’re like me and many of my friends and colleagues, you do in fact do a lot of reflecting at the beginning of the year …maybe one of your resolutions is to re-connect with old friends and colleagues or to get out there and make new contacts. I’ve noticed a flurry of Facebook “Friend” invites, LinkedIn requests, and so forth. What’s going on?

No doubt we are all busier then ever – whether it’s because of family or work or both. On the work side, few of us have 9 to 5 jobs anymore. We’re tethered to our Blackberries or iPhones, and we’re always on email or trying to tackle that next project burning a hole in our desks. We try to squeeze more productivity out of ourselves everyday.

If you have kids, it’s no longer the norm to just open the door, give them a kiss and say “go play outside”. There are scheduled activities, events, lessons, homework and lots and lots of driving around town and elsewhere. You might also have aging parents and other family responsibilities to take care of as well.

So, what’s with the recent flurry of invites to re-connect that we’re seeing? It seems that a lot of us are thinking that in the midst of attending to all the immediate needs within our own worlds, it’s important to establish and maintain our social circles – to keep us sane amidst all the craziness of our daily lives. Also, in a bad economy, social contacts can become useful business contacts. Whether it’s reaching out to old acquaintances online or meeting new people offline, personal connections are important - for your own personal and professional happiness.

So log onto Facebook and LinkedIn and seek out former friends, classmates and coworkers and wish them Happy New Year and ask how they are doing in these difficult times. They might really appreciate you reaching out, and it might help you as well.

And, try posting some Invites or searching for Invites on MeetingWave to make new contacts for business or social purposes – target making one new real world contact a month or per week. That’s right, meet new people in your industry, with common backgrounds or interests to help you reach your business or social goals. Then, of course, stay connected with them online and be sure to meet with them in person again in the New Year.

Happy New Year!

Regards, John

Although MeetingWave’s focus is business or professional networking, since MeetingWave is free and open to anyone to use, we receive a variety of invites for a range of proposed meetings. Along with invites for business networking, client generation and to make new contacts or friends, there are also sales pitches, test invites, romance invites (which you shouldn’t see unless you specifically search for them) and more. We have improvements in the pipeline that should enhance the “gene pool” of our invite population. In the meantime, keep in mind that each member decides which invites to post and which to accept. Thus, MeetingWave provides you with control and flexibility regarding who you will meet and the type of meetings you’ll be attending. In the end, it’s always entirely up to you.

When you post an invite, we recommend you select the appropriate “Purpose” for your proposed meeting and also provide a compelling title and a detailed description of the type of people you are interested in meeting or the purpose of your proposed meeting. You decide what your invites look like as well as who may attend you proposed meeting and whether the meeting will occur. Your meeting is only confirmed if you approve at least one acceptance and you can cancel the meeting with proper notice to any approved attendees.

Finally, we now allow members to “Flag Invites” to inform us of inappropriate invites. If you see an invite that is inappropriate, offensive or otherwise doesn’t confirm with the Terms, let us know and we will review and, if appropriate, delete.

In the meantime, as mentioned above, we have further improvements in our pipeline including rating systems and filters for invites. Let us know if you have any feedback on how to improve MeetingWave.

Regards,

John

Founder, MeetingWave.com

According to the Deputy Postmaster General, the USPS spent $1.7 billion on gasoline and diesel last year, and predicts that number to increase by $600 million this year. As a result, the USPS, which uses 200,000 trucks has been forced to look for alternative means of reducing fuel consumption–some of which have been successful, some of which, not so much. They’ve tried alternative fuel vehicles (but saw a decrease in fuel efficiency resulting in using 1.5 million more gallons of gasoline than before), realigning routes to reduce left turns (which require more idling), adding GPS systems to plot more efficient delivery routes and, the most effective solution (and one providing some health benefits): having employees deliver more of their route by foot.

See:

http://forcechange.com/2008/06/30/post-office-seeks-ways-to-save-on-fuel-costs/

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aj.h0coJSkpw

http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2008/05/21/going-postal-with-flex-fuel-trucks-postal-service-burns-more-gas/

How about also reducing the frequency of mail deliveries?

I believe most homes receive mail daily. Do we really need our mail delivered every day? Most of us could survive with every other day mail. If there’s something urgent, you can swing by your Post Office to pick up. In a perfect world, the Post Office would create electronic records to allow people to determine online if they have any mail to pick up. Otherwise, they can wait for the delivery the next day. Perhaps treat residences and business differently. Eventually, we might find that one a week delivery is sufficient for most residences. In the end, this could save fuel and the Post Office could reallocate employees to the service desk (and reduce the lines I typically see) or to help enhance their online records. Just a thought and I’d welcome any comments.

Regards,

John

Founder, MeetingWave.com

Finding a new job or getting a better job is always difficult, particularly in a slow economy. There are classified ads, recruiters, online sites and friends and family.  All can work, all take time, and none offer guarantees.

The last two jobs I obtained were not through an ad, a recruiter or an online site. Instead, in each case, someone I had worked with in the past had let me know about the positions.  Although I’d like to think it was because of what I knew, who I knew had a much greater impact in my finding out about the job and getting the position. It’s not hard to appreciate that real world contacts can help you find a new job or other opportunity.  As mentioned in a recent NY Times article by Fran Silverman:

Across the region, business support groups have been swamped with the newly unemployed, whose mantra is network, network, network….Increasingly, these newly unemployed professionals are reaching out, banding together and getting out from behind the loneliness of their computers to carve a path back to the work force through face-to-face contact.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/nyregion/long-island/21Rsupport.html?pagewanted=1

We built MeetingWave to help individuals develop real world contacts for business, professional or social purposes which can eventually help you find your next opportunity. We make it easy for our members to post what we call “Public Invites” for coffee, a meal, drinks or any other activity to meet new people. You can set up meetings to meet potential clients, network with others in a specific industry or line of work, recruit a group for a project, connect with potential investors, find new work or business opportunities, or simply make new business contacts or friends. Meeting organizers decide who they network with and the time, location and length of their proposed meetings. Or, you can browse Public Invites posted by other members and accept any that interest you. If the member who posted the Public Invite approves your acceptance, the proposed networking meeting is confirmed and you are invited to attend.

MeetingWave is a versatile, easy, flexible and free tool for meeting new people and making new contacts.

How will MeetingWave help you find the right job?

The more real world contacts you have, the better your chance of learning about great new job opportunities. The saying “It’s note what you know but who you know” is particularly true when it comes to searching for a new job.

We recommend posting different Invites with different purposes to broaden your reach for establishing new contacts. Post one Invite for a meeting with alumni from your college, another Invite for a meeting with people who work in your industry or line of work, and another Invite to meet with fellow sports fans or with others having common social interests. Posting different invites for networking meetings will not only increase the frequency of acceptances to your meetings (which gives you an even greater ability to pick and choose who can attend), but will help you build your network of contacts faster. You can even post an Invite that explicitly states you are looking for a job.

Regardless of the type of Invite, be sure to create a Profile with some background information to help others decide whether to accept your Invite. Let us know if you have any feedback.

Regards, John

Founder, MeetingWave.com