Intellectual property is everywhere and covers, among other things, the fields of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. As an industry, surfing is a significant market that is heavily affected and associated with intellectual property. In fact, the executive director of the Association of Surf Manufacturers (SIMA), Sean Smith, surprised me that the Surf US market is valued at $ 4.14 billion. The United States, and the world surf market is estimated at $ 6.5 billion in industry. SIMA, in the newsletter, reports that about 1.6 million people are involved in surfing. This significant market is segmented along with several intellectual property boundaries that have been created by both organizations and individuals. As an indicator of this segmentation, simply start looking for those benchmark indicators that include Patent Examination, Patent No. ___, ® and ©. Most likely, you will find many of these links to trademarks, patents and copyrights on your clothes, your board, the videos you watch, and accessories for surfing. So you may ask, what is a trademark or patent?
A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of these things that identify and distinguish the source of goods and services of one party from the goods of the other party. Trademarks are often a good source of revenue for organizations with well-established brands. This is due to the fact that the organization can allow the use of its trademark to display almost any item or item of clothing that you can imagine. For example, the Sticky Bumps® registration number No. 1831402 is used in conjunction with “clothes, namely shirts, shorts and headgear”, “Roxy T-Street Surf Contest”, which was filed on March 29, 2004 for use with "entertainment and sporting activities in the field of athletic sports" and the application for the US trademark number 78305769 on "Robert August", used in conjunction with "clothing, namely shirts, t-shirts, knitted shirts, woven shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, T-shirts, jackets, pants, sweat pants, shorts, to hard suits, board shorts, socks, belts, caps and hats. "
The sheer power and financial potential of licensing trademarks is appropriate, as you can easily find a trademark that only a few years ago was found solely in composition, and which is now noticeably plastered through the shirt of a person who lives a few hundred miles from the nearest break.
A patent can be broadly defined as a temporary right of ownership, which is often described as a “monopoly” provided by the government to the applicant. Patents allow those who own or license them to have significant market leverage. This leakage exists because the patent owner or licensee can control the use, production, and sale of products covered by the patent. An example of a patent related to surfing is US Patent No. 6,375,770, published as assigned by O & nbsp; Neill, Inc. (Santa Cruz, California). This patent relates to a device and methods for “forming adhesive adherent seams between foamed, fully cured, elastomeric, elastically compressible and flexible sheets of material of the type used in wet suits”. In very basic terms, if you want to make, use or sell a device or method covered by a patent, you need O & # Nille permission, otherwise you may be subject to violation. Although patents can be extremely valuable, they do not guarantee that the patent owner or licensor will receive financial benefits. A good patent looks like a good board, it will not help you find these ideal waves and will not position yourself, however, when you are there you will be able to rip. Therefore, it is important that you have to keep in mind whether you are an individual inventor or decision maker for a multinational company, and that you need a patent strategy that details a robust business plan that includes marketing and licensing. Without them, you will take it on your head every time.
Although patent systems around the world have many features, they are in no way identical. The US patent system serves as a solid reference point from which most other patent systems should be understood. The legal basis for granting patent rights is found in the text of the US Constitution. In particular, clause 8 of Article 8 reads: “The Congress must have the power ... to promote science and useful arts, ensuring for authors and inventors the exclusive right to respect writing and discovery for a limited time.” This constitutional right to patent property gives inventor certain rights to the invention for a "limited time". As a rule, the term of a patent grant is 20 years from the filing date of the patent application. to exclude others from making, using, proposing to sell, sell, or import an invention in the United States. component of a patented invention or material or device for use in the practice of a patented process as an infringer capable of contributing.
US patent obtained by first filing. A patent application is an official document that includes, in general, a description of how to make and use an invention, any necessary drawings or drawings, and a set of formalized descriptive sentences called claims. After filing the invention, the disclosed invention is reviewed by the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to determine if it meets all the requirements set forth in US patent law. At this stage of the prosecution, the applicant has a limited ability to eliminate defects and / or modify parts of the application. A typical resigned application spends from 2 to 3 years in the USPTO, which is considered and prosecuted. The cost of filing a patent application through a patent attorney depends on the complexity of the invention, but usually ranges from $ 3,700 to $ 5,600. The final cost of obtaining and maintaining a patent may add several thousand dollars to the cost. However, the incentive to spend money is that a strong patent aimed at the desired product or method can command very large revenue streams, as well as provide isolation from competitors. It appears that the natural law of patents is that the more valuable an invention is, the more likely it will be processed, and the more important it will be to draft and prosecute an application to determine who will win. In other words, a poorly written and blamed patent will probably not cost much. If you are going to spend time, energy and money on a patent, you should find a patent attorney or agent who is not only familiar with the field of your invention, but also gives you the quality of the Work. A substandard discount or a more expensive patent will not help anyone, especially those who pay for it.
To obtain a patent, you must fulfill several strict requirements. The first requirement is that the invention must have an acceptable subject. Suitable categories in the United States are limited to processes, machines, manufactures, or matter compositions that have practical utility. Thus, the patent law of the United States defines four categories of invention, which Congress considered a suitable subject of the patent. The last three categories define “things”, and the first category defines “actions” (i.e. Agreements, which consist of a series of steps or actions that must be performed). The Supreme Court stated that, despite the fact that the patentable subject matter may be “something under the sun created by man”, there are some limitations. Courts believe that things like abstract ideas, the laws of nature, and natural phenomena go beyond the scope of a patentable subject matter. It is based on ships. the recognition that a patentable subject must be a practical application or use of an idea, a law of nature, or a natural phenomenon. As a rule, this requirement is easily met.
Another requirement is that the invention must be new. The novelty concerns the question of whether an invention exists in a patent application, as stated in the application. A patent will not be granted if the invention is not new. US law, however, is specific because the ribbed bar to the patent will not arise if the invention was in public use or on sale in the United States for less than one year before the application was filed or if the invention was disclosed in a patent or publication anywhere in the world . Unlike the United States, most countries do not have a “grace period.” This means that any prior use, sale or disclosure of information prevents the grant of a patent. For example, if you or your employees start selling your newly invented system of fins at a local surf shop or store, you have one year to apply to the United States. However, you probably exploded your ability to obtain foreign rights. The lesson here is that before selling, offering to sell, speak, write, or otherwise disclose your invention, you must apply and / or talk to an IP lawyer about your invention strategy.
The invention should also be "non-obvious." Evidence is found if, although the invention has not been clearly identified, the invention is apparent from the prior art for a person having an ordinary person skilled in the art to whom the subject dates back to the time of the invention. Unknown inventions are not entitled to patent protection. As a rule, the claimed invention is not obvious if there are no references to prior art that, by themselves or in combination, teach or suggest the invention as a whole, including each element of the application. The definition of evidence is a very fact-based analysis and covers a rather complex area of patent law. One place where you can learn more about the topic is on the USPTO website or talk to a patent attorney or agent.
The application must also "enable" the invention. This basically means that the disclosure by the inventor should allow a person skilled in the art to make and use the claimed invention without undue experimentation. Factors that should be considered in determining whether an experiment is “unjustified” include the breadth of the claims, the nature of the invention, the state of the art, the level of those skilled in the art, the level of predictability in this field, the number of directions provided by the inventor, the presence or absence of working examples and the number of experiments required to manufacture or use the invention based on the content of the disclosure. The inventor must also describe the best way they know to practice the invention at the time of application.
The disclosure of the invention should also describe the claimed invention in sufficient detail, so that a person skilled in the art who reads the description recognizes that the inventor invented the claimed subject and was in possession of the invention, as stated at the time of application. Possession of the claimed invention is usually shown by describing the application with all its limitations using words, structures, figures, diagrams and formulas that fully state the claimed invention. Ownership can also be displayed in various ways, for example, by describing the actual practice reduction or by indicating that the invention was “ready for patenting,” for example, by disclosing drawings, that the invention was completed, or by describing distinctive identifiers sufficient to show that applicable was in the possession of the claimed invention.
Patent applications are perhaps the most important aspect of an application because they determine the scope of protection provided by the invention. In a regular patent application for a useful program there must be at least one requirement, often having more than a dozen. Claims define the boundaries of the property that the inventor makes. A simple but enlightening comparison with real estate immediately conveys the importance of patent claims. Imagine that you have the opportunity to claim a piece of real estate. Considering what kind of land you would like, you would consider the landscape and the total land area, as well as such things as access to water. Control of the fertile fields, water, access to the beaches and ports of entry will give your declared real estate tremendous value. As with the choice of real estate, great care and forethought should be devoted to the preparation and drafting of a patent application. An inadequate description of how to create and use an invention can destroy or destroy part of a potential property. Claims made without a look at a business strategy can provide competitors with an opportunity to enter a market that may be prohibited for them.
Surf passengers where the law meets the water
If you think you know about surfing, you haven't hung out with people who have developed many of the patent documents that are currently located at http://www.uspto.gov. For example, this thing you call a board has many problems in accordance with many of these inventors, and in many cases it is called a “craft” rather than a board. According to some inventors, the usual vessel for riding the waves, it seems, has all the hydrodynamic properties of a curved log. Of course, these same inventors continue to tell you how their invention solves these problems. In addition, many surfing patents are truly educational. For example, in U.S. Patent No. 6,695,662 entitled “Surfing Craft with a Removable Finn,” we learn a little about the history of surfing. In this patent, the inventor tells us that “Lieutenant James King, who served under the command of Captain James Cook during his third expedition to the Pacific Ocean, wrote in 1779 what was recognized as the first known description of a surfing script ever recorded by a Westerner. Kinga’s Kilakekua Bay on the Big Island of Hawaii, King writes: “Whenever it is out of stormy weather or any unusual swelling in the sea, the speed of the surf is increased to the highest heights, they choose this time for this entertainment: twenty or thirty natives, taking each long narrow board, rounded at the ends, gathered together from the shore ... Since the surf consists of several waves, of which every third is always marked much more than the others, and flow higher on the shore, the rest break in daily space, their first object is to place them on top of the largest burst, thanks to which they move together with surprising speed towards the ore. “The patent refers to an invention aimed at solving the problem of transporting surfboards glazed on fins. This solves the problem by making the fins removable ... imagine.
Some inventors have really different ideas regarding pop-ups for which they want to get a patent. Take, for example, US patent application No. 20040000265, entitled "The System and Method of Reducing Dragons." First, the inventor tells us that "in the case of surfing, reduced resistance can translate into a significantly improved ability to push the surfboard and catch a wave, as well as a longer and faster ride." Although it may not be a shocker for most of us, I believe that if you saw a board incorporating this invention, you would be frozen on your roads. You see, the invention includes a fluid injection system that releases compressed air through openings at the bottom of the surfboard. Similarly, during the “injection” operation, it can be enabled for short durations defined by the user. For example, after activation, the control may only allow injection for a specific period of time (for example, 5 or 10 seconds). To be saved and used sparingly at times when the user most wants to reduce resistance, for example, so that the surfer catches the wave. ” Этот патент заставляет вас задаться вопросом, как звучит эта активация этой вещи, и не просто ли плохо набрасывать ваш доску, она просто взрывается на вашем лице, если прокол сжатого воздуха? Разумеется, изобретатель также предполагает, что вы переоборудуете свою любимую плату с «системой впрыска жидкости, которая может быть продана как комплект».
Часто изобретатели соглашаются с тем, что необходимо для создания отличной платы, но они очень сильно отличаются от того, как ее достичь. Изобретатель в патенте США № 6,718,897, озаглавленном «Подвижная волна», сообщает нам: «Оборудование для досок для водного спорта предназначено для гладких и гладких (гидродинамических) с целью создания как можно меньшей турбулентности. В целом, чем больше турбулентность, тем больше трение и результат уменьшены. Поскольку конструкция ступенчатой нижней поверхности изобретателя создает так много турбулентности и пузырьков, она буквально вводит совершенно новую динамику. Благодаря этой динамике площадь влажной поверхности уменьшается. которые простираются вниз от нижней поверхности ступенчатых элементов, создают направление потока пузырьков и турбулентность от носа доски водной доски по глубине или высоте и надежно длинны относительно ее высоты и ширины, но их функция очень различна ». Еще один патент - патент США № 3774138 под названием« Крылатые крылатые бордюры ». Вы должны обязательно проверить чертеж на первой странице и математическую формулу для лифта, который раскрыл изобретатель.
При просмотре патентов на серфинг вы обнаружите, что повышенная производительность - это не единственное, чего хотят изобретатели, ведь многие изобретатели также заботятся о вашей безопасности и комфорте. Например, заявка на патент США № 20030233694 под названием «Защитный купальник, включающая электрическую проводную систему», направлена на «защитный костюм для купания, который должен носить пловцы и серферы». Аналогично, изобретатель считает, что защита может быть получена путем включения электродов в костюм. «При использовании костюм создает электромагнитное поле в объеме воды вокруг пользователя, которое действует для отражения целевых водных существ, таких как акулы». Я уверен, что он должен иметь и другие интересные эффекты. В патенте США № 6665882, озаглавленном «Серфинг-шорты с нижним бельем из гидрокостюма», изобретатель хочет помочь нам получить «одежду с мокрым костюмом, которую можно носить под шортами для серфинга, чтобы обеспечить гораздо более продолжительное время в воде при серфинге в водах, не требующих полного влажного костюм, сохраняя при этом предпочтительный стиль шорт-серфинга ».
Даже до того, как вы доберетесь до воды, изобретатели думают о вас. Например, патентная заявка США 20020170104, озаглавленная Body Covering Garment для использования во время замены одежды. Этот изобретатель идентифицирует, что «проблема минимальных или недостаточных изменяющихся объектов не ограничивается удаленными прибрежными районами. Во многих случаях заселенные пляжные среды также не обладают доступностью, количеством и качеством меняющихся объектов. Проблема с серферами просто пытается найти подходящее средство для переодевания на пляже или в других зонах водного спорта ». Очевидно, это не обычное изменение полотенца. В заявке на патент США 20040065705 под названием «Устройство для переноски и монтажа серфинга» Изобретатель обеспокоен тем, что мы покупаем слишком много продуктов. Например, «один для просмотра серфинга, один для переноски доски для серфинга и один для установки доски для серфинга на крыше автомобиля». Автор утверждает, что «требуется недорогой, простой в изготовлении прибор для переноски и монтажа досок для серфинга, который прост в использовании, прост в хранении, настенная / потолочная стойка и стойка для транспортировки транспортных средств в одном продукте. и многие другие ".
Кроме того, существует множество патентов и приложений, которые охватывают вещи, которые вы можете сразу распознать или которые вы действительно можете себе позволить. Эти хорошо известные элементы часто являются частью портфеля интеллектуальной собственности организации. Например, патент Соединенных Штатов Америки D417,542, опубликованный как присвоенный Rip Curl International Pty Ltd. (Торки, АС). Этот патент направлен на «декоративный дизайн для шеи гидрокостюма, как показано и описано». Другим примером является патент США № 5,898,934 под названием «Гидрокостюм для шеи», который присваивается O & nbsp; Neill, Inc. ». В этом патенте раскрыт гидрокостюм для шеи с расширяемым кольцом, образованным вставкой вставки, которая складывается сама по себе , но который позволяет раздвинуть как воротник, так и область шейки при разворачивании ». Патент № 5,898,934 связан, по меньшей мере, с одним веб-сайтом с системой входа в систему O & gt; Neil ZEN. Основываясь на этом последнем примере, вы можете легко увидеть эволюцию идеи, чтобы получить хорошую печать из гидрокостюма, в коммерчески успешный продукт. При чтении этих патентов вы также прекрасно понимаете, какие технологии используются во многих аспектах серфинга. Фактически, вы можете узнать о таких вещах, как океан, гидродинамика, жизнь океана, смолы, пена и строительство гидрокостюма.
Как вы видели, патенты не просто применяются к генам и компьютерным чипам. Поэтому в следующий раз, когда у вас будет «отличная идея», вы можете просто знать, что с этим делать.
Note. Настоящая статья подготовлена только для общих информационных целей и не предназначена для юридических консультаций. Эта статья представляет исключительно идеи и мнения автора и не отражает мысли, мнения или позиции любой фирмы, адвоката или клиента, с которым связан автор.
