Assignment 5B: Anticipation & Obviousness of the Coffee Sleeve Patent(s)

In this blog post, I will talk about the level of anticipation and obviousness of these sleeve patents. First, let's define these two terms:

1. Anticipation occurs when someone has known about or used the invention before the patent applicant applies for a patent. The act of anticipation means that the patent applicant will be rejected and not be granted a patent.
• The presence of anticipation is thus the lack of novelty.
• The obviousness standard prevents the patenting of relatively insignificant differences between the invention and the prior art
2. Obviousness is defined as an insufficient difference from what has been used or described before that a person having ordinary skill in the area of technology related to the invention would find it obvious to make the change. 

As all of these patents seem to cover the same invention. However, according to Wikipedia, the coffee sleeve was patented by Jay Sorensen in 1993, by the name of Java Jacket (JJ for the purposes of this review). This patent, US5425497 A, is actually NOT one of the patents that our professor assigned us to analyze. Interestingly enough, the priority date in 1993 makes it the second-oldest patent filing in the list of 8 that we were assigned to analyze. 

Anyways, now that we have a reference point, we can go about determining the anticipation and obviousness of the other patents. I have removed the patent titles (you can visit my 5A post if you want the reference number) and grouped certain patents together:

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1. This is the first coffee-related patent and is certainly novel and different from the JJ, as this is basically a cup for a cup.
2. As this was the first of its kind, it is definitely non-obvious.

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1. These above inventions are very similar to the JJ, but use different material and construction. They also argue to be economical and environmentally friendly.
2. As these seem to only differ from the JJ in respects to materials and appearance, then they are very obvious.

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1. These above inventions offer unique capabilities beyond the typical coffee sleeve. The first empowers the barista, the second scientifically measures the temperature of the liquid, and the last prevents spillage of liquid from reaching the customer.
2. These inventions offer different capabilities, so they should be considered non-obvious because they use technology generally considered outside this field.

Assignment 5A: Coffee Sleeve Patent(s) Analysis

Hi everyone,

So for this week's assignment, I will briefly go over all of the patents that stake claims on the coffee sleeve that we know and love. I will tell a brief summary of each, in order of priority date:

1. US 2661889 A: 
• The priority date is Jul 20, 1948.
• The prior art includes US 1497159 A which refers to a "heat and cold insulating receptacle" to store hot and cold liquids cheaply.
• The product is an insulating jacket with removable cap containing a tearable hole.
• The claim is a summary of the product, saying that the jacket is conically-shaped and closed at the bottom end and open at the top end, attachable to a cap with a tearable hole.
2. US 6152363 A: 
• The priority date is May 3, 1999.
• The prior art is mentioned in the "description of related art." The author of this patent mentions 7 other patents that are similar to his.
• The product is an improved sleeve that the author of this patent quantitatively proves as superior to those previously invented.
• The claims are as follows:
1. A sleeve that is standardized in size, contains air gaps, and depicts a layer of graphics on the second side.
2. The sleeve is made of paperboard of X caliper and Y weight.
3. The air gaps are made of adhesive dots.
4. The air gaps are also made of foam.
5. The air gaps create a distance of Z between sleeve and container.
3. US 6343735 B1: 
• The priority date is May 4, 2000.
• The prior art includes all sleeves previously invented, as they serve the same function and look nearly identical.
• The product is an improved sleeve that provides two "wings" along the side of the sleeve. The main purpose of this product is to provide at least one portion of the sleeve spaced away from the cup. 
• The claims are summarized as follows:
• Claims 1-3 describe the physical structure of the sleeve, explaining the curves and angles associated with the wings as well as the sleeve itself.
• Claim 4 seems to be 60% a replica of Claim 1 but then focusing on the wing as "one portion" angled away from the cup.
• All further claims are more technical details regarding the construction of the sleeve and wings.
4. US 7922031 B1: 
• The priority date is Mar 1, 2006.
• The prior art is not listed. The author claims that this invention is intended for repeated use, so prior art is unnecessary.
• The product is a dual-sleeve mechanism in which the outersleeve is semi-transparent so that the writing on the undersleeve is visible. This makes it possible for customers to write the desired drink on the innersleeve, attach the outersleeve, and hand to barista for order.
• The claims are summarized as follows:
• Claim 1 is a physical description of the product.
• Claims 2-10 are various possible combinations of materials and physical constructions that the patent should cover.
• Claims 11-13 are yet again variations on construction.
5. US 20080078824 A1: 
• The priority date is Aug 23, 2006.
• The prior art includes all sleeves previously invented, as they serve the same function and look nearly identical.
• The product here is actually a method/application as the author presents a system by which a cup is outfitted by his company's designed sleeve. 
• The claims are summarized as follows:
• Claims 1-13 describe the cup insulating system as a sum of parts and the construction itself.
• Claims 14-17 describe the cup protector/sleeve itself and its materials.
• Claims 18-20 describe the insulating ring and its materials.
6. US 8118189 B2: 
• The priority date is Dec 15, 2006.
• The prior art includes all sleeves previously invented, but this invention has a specific function.
• The product is a sleeve with a temperature indicator on it that can predict the temperature of the liquid in the cup with an accuracy of +/- 4 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• The claims are summarized as follows:
• Claim 1 is a physical description.
• Claims 2-17 are variations/combinations by which the temperature indicator can be displayed.
• Claim 18 describes the manufacturing process necessary to build the product.
7. US 20100019023 A1: 
• The priority date is Jul 25, 2008.
• The prior art includes all sleeves previously invented, but this invention has a specific look.
• The product is an ordinary sleeve, but shaped differently to be arch-like. As a result, this design is more efficient and less wasteful.
• The claims are as follows:
• Claim 1 is a very basic description of the product--two edges to the sleeve, with one peaked.
• Claims 2-9 are physical descriptions and construction of the peak/arch.
• Claim 10 is a basic description of the process to make the sleeve.
• Claims 11-15 includes more detailed steps to cutting and creating the sleeve.
• Claim 16 focuses on the sheet material and its construction.
• Claims 17-20 are further details of the sheet material.
8. US 20140151385 A1: 
• The priority date is Feb 6, 2014.
• The prior art includes all sleeves previously invented.
• The product is an ordinary sleeve, but with 3 different layers. The inner layer absorbs water, the middle layer is a film that sticks the inner and outer layers together, and the outer layer is a synthetic fabric to keep the hand dry.
• The claims are as follows:
• Claim 1 is a very basic summary of the sleeve 3-layer composition.
• Claim 2 is a description of the material origins of each layer.
• Claims 3-5 are the physical dimensions of the layers.
• Claim 6 goes into more detail about the sleeve itself and its layers, as well as introducing the concepts of securing and perforation.
• Claims 7-12 expand on the physical dimensions by providing explanations on how the securing and perforation work.

Assignment 4B: U.S. Patent Analysis

Hi everyone,

So I'm here to explain Claim #1 of Patent #8046721, otherwise known as the slide-to-unlock filed by Apple.

Claim 1 details the "method" of the slide-to-unlock function:

• First, the user makes contact with the slide-to-unlock image on the screen. 
• Then, the user moves the unlock image--defined as a graphical, interactive UI object--in the direction the image instructs. 
• Finally, the screen is unlocked if the movement initiated by the user results in the movement of the unlock image from the "first pre-defined location to a predefined unlock region" (left to right typically) on the screen.

As you can tell, this claim is very specific, detailing the process from start to finish.

Assignment 4A: The Wrong-est Technology Predictions

Hi everyone, here is my selection of the top 5 wrong predictions (with explanations) from our professor's list of 25. I selected these 5 because the speakers all have these things in common:

• They are experts in their fields
• They are leaders with a reputation to uphold
• They reject innovation because it threatens their current manner of doing business

Without further ado, here is my selection (ranked by how ubiquitous the invention is in today's world) with corresponding points:

1. “The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys.” — Sir William Preece, Chief Engineer, British Post Office.
• Preece is a chief engineer, in charge of maintaining the technological systems of the British Post Office.
• Preece has been knighted by the Queen of England.
• Preece probably feared that the telephone would cut down on the profits of the Post Office, and through deductive reasoning, risk losing his job.
2. "There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home." – -Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation.
• DEC, like IBM, was a leader in the computer industry (succeeded by HP).
• DEC had won many awards, being the first creator of the microcomputer.
• DEC was not a leader in the PC market and therefore was threatened by the rise of competitors.
3. "The world potential market for copying machines is 5000 at most.” — IBM, to the eventual founders of Xerox.
• IBM was and still is one of the leading manufacturers of computer technology.
• IBM is taking the position as an investor talking to a startup company that needs capital.
• IBM is clearly threatened by the prospect of a copy machine as it is technology that IBM didn't invent itself.
4. “The idea that cavalry will be replaced by these iron coaches is absurd. It is little short of treasonous.” — Comment of Aide-de-camp.
• An Aide-de-camp is an assistant of a senior officer, someone that the senior trusts to make rational judgments to help in his decisions.
• The Aide-de-camp has to report to superiors and thus must maintain the status quo.
• The Aide-de-camp is thinking of subordinates and comrades who would be out of a job in the armed forces since tanks only need a small number of people to operate.
5. “ How, sir, would you make a ship sail against the wind and currents by lighting a bonfire under her deck? I pray you, excuse me, I have not the time to listen to such nonsense.” — Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Bonaparte is a conquerer, leader of thousands of troops, and expert strategist.
• Bonaparte needs to command the respect of his subordinates, so he cannot be backing then-absurd ideas.
• New technology means new training, new risks, and new complications--things that Bonaparte does not have the time to deal with.

I also researched 5 other wrong predictions not listed on the original 25. These ones I judged on a different criteria--each is a lesson that we, as a human race, have yet to learn from completely.

1. "Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau." — Irving Fisher, economist, 3 days before the stock market crash preceding the Great Depression.
• The Great Depression was a result of investor exuberance that was left unchecked--a bubble that burst. Sound familiar? Think the Dot-Com bubble in the 1990's and the Great Recession in the late 2000's. While tremendous amounts of legislation and regulation have been implemented each time to protect the global economy from another crash, bubbles still continue to form, driven by investor exuberance. 
• The lesson here is that human greed and mob mentality will continue to run rampant unless investors are warned and informed on how to value companies and why stocks move.
2. "I predict the Internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse." — Robert Metcalfe, founder of 3Com, inventor of Ethernet
• The interesting thing about this quote is that Metcalfe's invention was essential to the development of the internet. He feared that our demand for more information (and thus more internet) would far outpace our power to keep the internet safe and secure. While the internet has not collapsed, it is in a constant state of turmoil, made clear by ongoing security breaches and concerns.
• The lesson here is to look before you leap.
3. "Within five years, I predict [the tablet] will be the most popular form of PC sold in America." — Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder, in a 2002 speech at Comdex.
• The irony in this quote is while the tablet has become the fastest-growing, if not the most popular form of PC, Microsoft is not the leader. Both Microsoft and Apple experimented until 2010 when Apple took the market by storm and has since then kept a dominant market share. 
• The lesson to be learned here is that anyone can be a visionary, but success is determined by proper knowledge of the market and what it demands.
4. "The subscription model of buying music is bankrupt. I think you could make available the Second Coming in a subscription model, and it might not be successful." — Steve Jobs
• By 2012, iTunes held 64% of the music subscription market and generates over $8 billion per year for Apple.
• The lesson is to take business risks and not to discount ideas without testing them.
5. "Apple is already dead." -- Nathan Myhrvold, former Microsoft CTO, 1997
• Apple is now the most valuable company in the world, with an enterprise value 3 times as much as Microsoft, whereas Microsoft reached its peak value just 2 years after Myhrvold's prediction. 
• The lesson here is to never discount competitors and to never be complacent. Microsoft still struggles against Apple in almost every category other than personal computers (which many argue is a dying industry). By retreating into comfort and complacency, Microsoft stood by as Apple gained control.

Assignment 3: Top 10 Inventions 2.0

Hi everyone,

As per our professor's request, I am here to list out my new top 10 inventions. Taking into consideration the suggestions of my peers, I have implemented a clear and decisive ranking system for this assignment. I argue that the most important inventions are ones that save lives. My logic is simple: what is the point of an invention if only a fraction of the world's current population are alive to use it? So here is my list of the top 10 life-saving technological innovations as well how it saves lives and the number of people each has saved.

1. Synthetic Fertilizer - 2.72 billion lives saved! Invented by Fritz Haber, this is the foundation of modern agriculture. Prior to this, farmers needed to use manure to grow crops, which was sufficient for small levels of agricultural production, but not enough to sustain large-scale human population. The  International Fertilizer Industry Association reports that 40% of the world's population is supported by food grown by fertilizer.
2. Anticoagulation - 1.094 billion lives saved! Improving on the work of his predecessors, Richard Lewisohn discovered the exact concentration of sodium citrate that was necessary for blood transfusions, thus allowing blood to be stored outside the human body in order to be given to patients who need it.
3. Bifurcated Needle - 973 million lives saved! Vaccination had just been accepted, but without this invention, nobody would have been able to receive the safest level of treatment. The only means of injection before the needle was multiple stabs into the patient's arm which, although effective, was painful and inefficient.
4. Vaccination - 973 million lives saved! The very first vaccine was invented by Edward Jenner to combat smallpox. He experimented on a local farmer's son and proved that a small dose of cowpox would prevent him from getting smallpox. Needless to say, it worked.
5. Specialized Wheat Breeding - 259 million lives saved! Norman Borlaug invented a method of breeding wheat to be both resistant against disease and harsh environments. For regions like Asia that experienced high population growth, wheat breeding was necessary to drastically increase and protect farm production of food.
6. Water Chlorination - 117 million lives saved! Linn Enslow was responsible for this water purification method. Prior to this, water supplies would easily be contaminated by a variety of issues including times of rain that caused runoff of toxic materials.
7. Penicillin - 82 million lives saved! Howard Walter Florey created the world's first antibiotic, the start of modern medicine. This was the only substance that killed bacteria without harming patients, as prior to this, doctors would use mercury and even arsenic.
8. Oral Rehydration Therapy - 54 million lives saved! Invented by David Nalin to address death by dehydration due to diarrhea, this innovation saves millions of people every single year, especially in 3rd world countries where lack of running water is a rampant problem. Moreover, the ingredients (water, salt, sugar) are so easy to obtain that everyone can access ORT.
9. DDT - 21 million lives saved! Paul Müller was the mastermind behind the world's first insecticide, preventing the spread of incredibly dangerous diseases such as malaria and typhus. Although contested by environmentalists, proper application of DDT kills flies and mosquitoes without harming the environment.
10. Insulin - 16 million lives saved! Frederick Banting invented the world's first miracle drug in order to address diabetes. Prior to this discovery, nobody had a clue as to what insulin was, where it came from, or what it did. By removing the pancreata of a cows and extracting insulin, he was able to treat the lives of millions of people.