New edition of The Inventor's Bible has arrived

I'm glad to announce that the library has received several copies of the new edition of Ronald Louis Docie's venerable The Inventor's Bible. Now in its third edition, this book offers up tips for the fledgling inventor on product development, intellectual property protection, licensing, and developing a commercialization strategy; in a word, the nuts and bolts tasks involved in getting a product to the marketplace.

Docie is an engaging writer, with a calm tone and presence of mind that, to my thinking, is very helpful for someone looking to commercialize a product. This book is an essential recommendation for the inventor who arrives at the reference desk breathless, eyes darting around desperately seeking a patent before someone steals her idea. Docie's treatment of the invention development process is holistic, realistic, and not patent-centric.

The circulating copies will be located in the Main Library's Business, Science, and Technology Department on the 4th Floor. Get 'em while they're hot!

This TM suit smells really, really good

First off, I want to apologize to my loyal readers for the slow-down in blogging this month. (Sorry, Mom.) Spring fever? Extra busy at the reference desk? We'll never know what drives our blogging whims here at the SFPL Patent and Trademark Center.

In the meantime, chew on this TM infringement allegation via the SlashFood blog. It seems that Hershey's objects to a Williams-Sonoma brownie pan that makes a pan of brownies in the shape of, well, a Hershey's bar. Follow the link for a picture of the pan, then look below this post to see the text of the Hershey's 1968 TM registration.

A tip o' th' pin to colleagues at Minneapolis PL and University of Maryland Libraries for, respectively, finding the article and digging up the registration.

Goods and Services
IC 030. US 046. G & S: Candy; Chocolate. FIRST USE: 19681231. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19681231
Mark Drawing Code (2) DESIGN ONLY
Design Search Code 26.11.02 - Plain single line rectangles; Rectangles (single line)
26.11.20 - Rectangles inside one another
Serial Number 77809223
Filing Date August 20, 2009
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Owner (APPLICANT) Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery Corporation CORPORATION DELAWARE 4860 Robb Street, Suite 204 Wheat Ridge COLORADO 80033
Prior Registrations 3668662
Description of Mark Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of twelve (12) equally-sized recessed rectangular panels arranged in a four panel by three panel format with each panel having its own raised border within a large rectangle.
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL-2(F)
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

New issue of Inventor's Eye

The second issue of the USPTO's new Inventor's Eye newsletter is here. Up for "examination" this month (a little patent humor for you):

• The National Inventor's Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
• An interview with one of those inductees, Ralph Baer, whose video game inventions in the 1960's and 70's helped spark a $15 billion industry.
• Information about qualifying for special status under the backlog reduction initiative. This is program in which a small entity applicant can apply to move a pending application up in the queue by volunteering to abandon an earlier application.
• A list of inventors organizations and inventor meetings.

There's also a piece by Inventor's Assistance Program head John Calvert explaining the ins and outs of the oft-misunderstood provisional patent application. It's definitely required reading for novice inventors considering the PPA. This is my favorite part:

Here are some facts you need to know about PPAs.

1. A PPA expires after one year.
2. You cannot extend a PPA.
3. You cannot renew a PPA.
4. A PPA will never become a patent.
5. You cannot file a PPA for a design .
6. The USPTO does not examine PPAs .
7. The USPTO does not conduct a prior art search on PPAs.
8. The USPTO does review PPAs to make sure they meet minimum filing requirements.
9. PPAs are not published by the USPTO (unless claimed as priority in a later-issued or published non-provisional application).
10. You can use the term “patent pending” for the duration of the one-year pendency of a PPA.

Please do read the whole article here and, for information about filing a PPA, have a look at Patent Pending in 24 Hours (Nolo 2010) by Richard Stim and David Pressman. We've got the latest edition available here on the 5th floor of the Main Library.