Social Media and Learning

The most innovative aspect about IEOR 190G is that all the assignments are completed through social media platforms. These weekly blogposts and YouTube videos have definitely shaped a quite unconventional learning experience for me, as I am used to submitting work on paper to the professor alone and not publicizing my learning to rest of the world. With that said, I am very glad that I got to be apart of this unique experience because I was able to gain a lot from writing blogs, making videos and commenting on other student's works.

First of all, I think writing blogs is a great way to consolidate personal learning because it promotes reflection and story telling in one's own words. Doing the weekly blogs required that I do outside research to find articles that connected with what we learned in class. This was an excellent way for me to not only stay on top current events in technology but also apply what I have learned in a classroom setting to analyze real life situations. Though it was difficult at times trying to understand some articles that were heavy in engineering and legal jargons before I could proceed to do a blogpost on it. But overall, I think blogging is a great way to make sense of the material we discussed in class and hone our skills in analyzing new information and forming our own personal opinion on it.

Now, moving onto the YouTube clips, I must admit that I was struggling a little bit with making these videos in the beginning because I always have a hard time not stuttering or losing my train of thought when I talk in front of a camera. But with more practice, I have gotten much more comfortable with organizing my thoughts into several short speaking points that are easy to understand and presenting my blogpost verbally. I think making these videos is a great way in not only improving my speaking skills, but also educating others. Having been an avid user of social media learning sites such as Khan Academy, I know how much I personally enjoy learning about the gist of a complex topic through watching a to-the-point video rather than reading a long paper - it not only saves time but also is a much more interactive experience. With my collection of YouTube videos published online, I can probably also help someone else out there who are trying to better understand topics related to patents.

Regarding the comments, I think reading other people's blogs and watching their videos were a great way for me to expand my knowledge and improve my own work. I have definitely read some highly informative and well written blogs from my fellow classmates, and I have to say those were very productive and enjoyable learning moments for me. At the same time, when I came across writing or speaking styles that stood out to me, I would also adopt them to use in my own work and I think that is also one thing Professor Lavian wanted us to take away, as he always stressed that he wanted us to copy others. Reading other people's work was definitely a good way to form a learning community and diversify my understanding of the material covered in class.

IEOR 190G - Wrap up

As IEOR 190G comes to a close, I would like to use this post to reflect on my major take-aways from this class. First of all, I would like to point out that this is the first IEOR/technology-related course I have ever taken at Cal, and I have to say that it gave me a good glimpse into the technology space by enabling me to have a better understanding of the realms of patents and intellectual property as a whole.

The course does a thorough job going over what a patent is, different filing methods, specific terminologies used in patent applications, patentability determination along with a number of case studies. Since the first step any inventor will take on when he/she wants to patent an invention is filing an application, I found the lectures on breaking down a patent application and paraphrasing each of the claims down to the elements to be most helpful and practical. This class included a clear run down of the various components to a patent application. It also emphasized on the importance of using the proper and accurate wording describe the invention, as a misdescription can greatly hinder the value of an invention. Though I find it quite ironic how all claims are written in a very convoluted fashion that most people have a hard time understanding. The last part of the course discusses the factors that go into determining the patentability of an invention, and these eligibility-determination procedures are very important for potential inventors to keep in mind. Last but not least, the case studies and guest lectures we had were also excellent learning experiences that brought in new perspectives.

One remark Professor Lavian made that surprised me was the fact that most engineers file on average 0 patent in their life time - in fact, 99% of all patents filed within most big tech companies come from merely 1% of inventors. This is very shocking to me since patents are highly valuable assets to companies, as seen in the hefty price tags linked to the Google and Motorola transactions, and I would assume that most inventors would have developed the habit to file them in a timely manner, not only to benefit their companies but also increase their self-worth in the workplace. Yet from these patent-filing statistics, it is clear that the majority of inventors are not aware of the importance of filing a patent, and this could simply be due to the fact that they have never been informed of how to file a patent or even what makes an invention patentable. This is why I think this class is very useful because it allows us to understand the importance of protecting intellectual property and provides us with highly pragmatic and applicable knowledge. Patents are extremely important to companies, so are the patent filers. With this class, we are now equipped with essential patent knowledge and a responsive mindset that allow us to take action when patent-filing opportunities arise. I definitely recommend this class to students from all disciplines who are interested in technology or just IP in general because the knowledge you take away from this course can allow you to set yourself apart from your fellow colleagues in your career and be highly beneficial in the long run.

Silly Patents - Flying Bike

Claim 1:
1. The method of travel using a lifting airfoil inflated with buoyancy gas, a wheeled vehicle to be propelled by pedaling, and a propeller, that includes the steps
i) pedaling to wheel drive the vehicle to gain speed,
ii) then pedaling to propeller drive the vehicle to gain further speed,
iii) then operating the airfoil to lift the vehicle, while continuing pedaling to propeller drive the lifted air-borne vehicle, in a travel direction,
vi) said airfoil provided with tethering of an aft portion of the airfoil to an aft portion of the vehicle,
etc...

Yup, what we have been waiting for is finally here - the flying bike, aka the most ideal mode of transportation as traffic just keeps getting worse nowadays. This invention has two parts to it - first is a bicycle that seems to have a children's car seat and a fan mounted to the rear, then it is being pulled into midair by a giant inflatable "wing" that is comprised of two parallel tubes connected by a long rectangular piece. That is not even the best part, the inventor suggests mounting a rocket on the machine for when you get tired of pedaling. Well, time to buckle up. It is going to be a wild ride.

Prior Art? Nothing even comes close to how elaborate this design is. As far as I know, I don't think there exists any prior art similar to this invention.
Novel? Definitely. Flying bicycles? Who would have guessed.
Useful? An investment for those who are tired of getting stuck in traffic for hours. With this flying device, your experience on the road (in the sky) is about to be transformed and go to a whole another level. So yes, lifesaver for those who are tired of wasting years of their life being stuck in traffic.
Obvious? In my opinion, the concept is not anything too complex to come up with - it is pretty much just attaching a giant hot air balloon to a bicycle to lift it off the ground. But it is not very obvious to come up with the specifications of the design, as nothing quite like this has existed before.

Source:http://www.google.com/patents/US6688553

Silly Patent - Animal Ear Protectors

Claim 1:
A device for protecting animal ears comprising:
a pair of generally tubular protectors each of which is formed of a sheet of self-biasing material which in their free state tend to form themselves into said generally tubular protectors;
each of said protectors being longitudinally openable to allow easy insertion of one of said animal ears; and positioning means for flexibly joining one end of one protector in spaced apart relationship with one end of the other protector and for securing said device to the head of said animal such that the longitudinal axis of each protector and a portion of each ear of said animal, are held generally horizontally and approximately perpendicularly to the head of said animal whereby the ends of said animal ears are separated by a distance greater than the width of the head of said animal.

Essentially, this is a hair tie for dogs.. it is a pair of protectors made out of highly morphable material that is designed for dogs' ears so that when dogs put their heads into their eating bowls, the protectors are able to pull the hair back and their ears can stay nice and free of food. This product is especially recommended for owners of long-haired breeds such as poodles, for which the feeding process can get slightly messy and sticky. But ouch, it looks quite painful to have them on..

Prior art? Perhaps hair ties for humans? Though it is a little bit of a stretch since the material and shape used in normal hair ties are pretty different from this one.
Novel? Sure. Don't think I have ever come across such a thing for pets.
Useful? Could come in hand for pet owners who find dogs getting their ears dirty from eating a problem - it does seem like it can do a good job of keeping the ears immaculate after a meal. Otherwise, it is quite useless.
Obvious? I would say it is not that obvious to think of an invention like this, except maybe for dog owners who have actually experienced this problem. I guess for those who have dealt with this problem before, it shouldn't be too difficult to think of this solution, though it is rather strange to use a concept originally designed for humans on pets.

Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4233942

Silly Patents - Santa Claus Detector (Extra Credit)

Claim 1:
A children's novelty device for detecting when an entity enters a dwelling comprising:
a decorative Christmas stocking having a top portion, a heel portion and a toe portion, said toe portion including an enclosure therein;
an electrical control circuit;
a light source operatively coupled to said control circuit;
a power source operatively coupled to said control circuit for providing power to said light source, said power source being disposed in said toe portion enclosure;
switch means operatively coupled to said control circuit for controlling the power provided by said power source to said light source; and
a flexible pull cord, said pull cord being connected to said switch means for actuating said switch means when a force is exerted on said pull cord,
whereby, when said pull cord is tugged, said light source is turned on.

If you are like me, who still refuses to believe that Santa isn't real, well, I think I have found something that could work in our defense. This invention right here is a stocking with a built-in light source that shoots out a light beam whenever Santa fills it up with presents/the hoop attached to the toe is pulled (shown in picture). Essentially, it is able to prove Santa's existence and great for establishing a healthy and interactive relationship between Santa and his believers. So next time someone tells you they don't believe in Santa, you know what to get them for Christmas.

Prior Art? Most likely nothing similar. Maybe a stocking with a built-in power source that lights up in the dark when being pulled/touched, if there is such a thing?
Novel? I have not really seen anything like this so will have to give the inventor credits for coming up with this.
Useful? Great for proving that Santa is real on top of all the gifts he brings, and personally, I would buy this for my kids.
Obvious? Well, the concept of using a light source to indicate the arrival of someone/someone when a detector is set off (pulling the hoop in this case) is nothing new. Many things respond to external triggers by lighting up, such as sound reactive lights or touch-sensitive lamps. But using a light source on a stocking for the sole purpose of detecting Santa is rather quite non-obvious in my opinion.

Source: http://www.delphion.com/details?pn=US05523741__

Silly Patents - Toe Puppet (Extra Credit)

Claim 1:
A puppet adapted to be mounted on a human digit for providing animated motion of a figurine responsive to movement of the human digit, the puppet comprising: a hollow, elastic cap having an interior wall defining an axially-extending cavity for snugly receiving said human digit; and a resilient neck having a proximal end connected to said cap and a distal end secured to said figurine, said neck extending along an axis transverse to the cavity axis wherein the neck is tapered so as to decrease in transverse dimension in a direction from said proximal end toward said distal end, and wherein said figurine is mounted to the distal end of said neck and is spaced from said cap, said neck and said figurine being oscillatable to and fro in response to movement of said human digit.

So...if you ever think your toes are looking boring and feel the need to accessorize them a bit, be sure to get your hands on these toe puppets! What can I say, puppets make great accessories for anywhere on the body. This patent essentially allows you to wear a puppet figure on your toe so you can maneuver it in whichever way and whatever motion you may desire. It is almost like playing with puppets on your fingers, a great way to channel your creativity and inner child regardless.

Prior Art? Possibly puppets made for hands or fingers.
Novel? Sure, so far I haven't seen anything like this being sold in store or online, tho I wouldn't say this combination of a puppet toy and a body part is anything new.
Useful? It would be good for entertainment purposes, maybe even appropriate for talent shows. It is also a good way to exercise your toes I assume.
Obvious? I could argue that it can be rather obvious to switch something originally made for hands/fingers to another body part such as one's toes.

Source: http://www.delphion.com/cgi-bin/viewpat.cmd/US05830035__?OUT_FORMAT=pdf&MODE=fstv

Obvious to Try - Appropriate vs Misuse

In my previous post, I went over the criteria an invention needs to meet in order to apply the obvious to use doctrine as well as how to properly apply the method to determine an invention's obviousness. In this post, I will discuss one correct use of the obvious to try argument and one misuse.

Appropriate use:
The case of Perfect Web Technologies vs InfoUSA provides an example in which the Federal Circuit held that a claimed method for managing bulk e-mail distribution was obvious on the basis of an obvious to try argument. Perfect Web sued InfoUSA for infringing on its patent for managing bulk email distribution. The patent consisted of steps (A) through (D) that described the sequence of the email distribution process, of which steps (A) through (C) came from prior art. The obvious to try doctrine thus becomes valid in this case since the prior art does not clearly indicate the possibility of the invention and the addition of step (D) can be further analyzed with the doctrine.

The Federal Circuit Court ruled that the patent was invalid because step (D) was considered obvious to try after experts identified a total of 3 potential solutions to the problem the patent was intended to solve. Hence, step (D) was considered obvious to try given the invention was created among a finite number of identified and predictable solutions, each with likelihood of success. Overall, the court appropriately applied the obvious to try doctrine to this case by first recognizing its applicability through the prior art and identifying the finite number of solutions to determine its obviousness.

Misuse:
An example of a misuse of the obvious to try doctrine was the Supreme Court decision in KSR vs Teleflex. The doctrine was irrelevant in KSR because there was no uncertainty regarding whether attachment of a sensor to a support member of a pedal would remain in a fixed position.

Ultimately, the holding of obviousness in KSR was based on a traditional § 103 analysis, i.e., motivation to solve a problem in combination with the presence of “a finite number of identified, predictable solutions that are within the technical grasp of a person of ordinary skill”. Therefore, "mention of the obvious to try doctrine in KSR constituted nothing more than a harmless distraction".

Sources:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s2143.html
http://www.hoffmanbaron.com/releases/HB%20Article%20Reprint_fnl.pdf