Top 5 Intellogist Posts of 2012

In 2011, top Intellogist Blog posts covered patent applications for Godly powers and the mysterious search secrets of US patent examiners.  Posts in 2012 seem to have been a bit less mystical and a bit more grounded in practical concerns, such as how major search systems will implement the oncoming Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC). Danny Rooney has been able to inject a bit of much-needed humor into this otherwise serious blog, with tips on finding the best musical patents, cleaning patents, grilling patents, and even patents to help you battle zombies during the upcoming Mayan Apocalypse.  The Intellogist Blog covered useful topics this year such as open access resources and the consequences of a poor patent translation, but a few posts were particularly popular among Intellogist readers.  Today we’ll take a quick look back at five of the most popular Intellogist Blog posts from 2012, ranging in topic from the CPC to intellectual property issues on Pinterest.

Continue reading for a recap of the top five Intellogist Blog posts from 2012, and celebrate the New Year, IP-style!

5 Patents for Sports Fans

Danny Rooney here. Manchester United is the team my fake fifth cousin Wayne plays for, and therefore I despise everything about Liverpool FC (except Steve McManaman…great name). Not just for footballing reasons though, although who wouldn’t prefer America’s team (Everton FC), just a 5 minute walk away from Anfield. Everton is the home of Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann, Landycakes (Landon Donovan), and possibly Edson Buddle. Still, it’s not quite FulhAmerica of a few years ago. Also, I’ve always been more of a Rolling Stones fan than a Beatles fan. The reason I mention Liverpool FC is because they have been dropped by Adidas (ha, ha!) (the manufacturer of their jerseys), and picked up by Michigan-based Warrior Sports.

Now that I am within shouting distance of the jersey manufacturer for a European soccer club, today seemed like a good day to take a look at some of the best sports apparel that has graced the patent office.

Top 5 Intellogist Posts of 2011

 It’s certainly been a busy year for the Intellogist Blog…between the controversial changes to Google Patents, the release of a major new file history tool, the plethora of free patent and non-patent search tools, an eye-opening interview with Marla Grossman, and the tragic deaths of Andy Rooney and Google Labs,  I’ve hardly had time to catch my breath.  I’ve only been with the Intellogist Blog during 2011, but what a year 2011 has turned out to be.  Read on as I take a look at the top 5 most-viewed Intellogist blog posts of 2011, and ring in the New Year Intellogist-style!

5 Game Changing Innovations of the 19th Century

Dan Rooney here. It’s been a sad couple of weeks for the Rooney family, as fictionally-related third Uncle Andy passed away on November 4th. He was a curmudgeon’s curmudgeon, often yelling at kids to turn down their phonographs and wondering if this brilliant new invention, the motor car, was ever going to catch on. Andy complained about more things than anyone of us could ever hope to complain about in our lifetime. And for that, we salute him by compiling what we think are Andy’s favorite NEW, game-changing inventions (obviously tongue-in-cheek)!

Rest in peace, Andy.

5 Common and Correctable Patent Application Mistakes

Introductory Note: Welcome back to “Gear Grinder with Danny Rooney.” We aim to bring this series to you on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Here are our previous installments: #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5. Previously, my cousin Stevie filled in. This post is based on a fictitious character, and readers should be aware of the underlying snark and sarcasm. Just think of it as a way to have fun and let loose with some frustrations with life as a patent professional. We know you can relate!

While I wait for the inevitable backlash from my friends who support Chelsea and Arsenal, and the blank stare from my American comrades that don’t know what I am talking about, some things this weekend got me thinking about some obvious mistakes that are made all the time in the patent realm. There are some mistakes made on patent applications that are simply avoidable and I’ll share five juicy ones with you today, if you read on…

Top 5 Patent Search System Annoyances: Gear Grinder #4

Introductory Note: Welcome back to “Gear Grinder with Danny Rooney.” We aim to bring this series to you on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Here are our previous three installments. This post is based on a fictitious character, and readers should be aware of the underlying snark and sarcasm. Just think of it as a way to have fun and let loose with some frustrations with life as a patent professional. We know you can relate!

It’s March Madness time in the Rooney household, and that’s not only due to the brace from my little neighbor to the south on Tuesday. For those of you who may be unaware, March Madness is the NCAA basketball tournament, where everyone takes the day off work (can you say “sick day?”) to watch and illegally bet on basketball. No William Hills here (for our British friends), as our country doesn’t take too kindly to vices like gambling if it involves actual money. Pair March Madness with St. Patrick’s Day and our country is going into stimulation overload. Buy Guinness stock today, but make sure you sell by tomorrow! Since the Madness is making me slightly mad, I made of list of my top five patent search system annoyances. More after the jump…

Top 5 Patent Search Resolutions for 2011

Around this time of year, it’s in vogue to promise yourself that you’ll be better this year. No more indulging in fatty diets, no more putting off that novel you want to write, and no more stagnating in your quest for world domination. Here on the Intellogist® Blog, we’ll let you handle those resolutions on your own. I will, however, give you my personal “Patent Search Resolutions for 2011.”

Putting aside some of the worst mistakes you can make in a patent search, let’s focus on resolutions that will put our best foot forward this year. By setting goals for your growth as a prior art searcher this year, you can make yourself more valuable to your company, law firm, or contractor.

From embracing the new to remembering the tried and true, stick around to find out what my top 5 resolutions are!

Top 5 Worst Mistakes in a Patent Search

Mistakes were made. Occasionally we all mess up. When millions of dollars of patent lawsuits could be hanging in the air depending on your patent search, it’s not an ideal time to commit an error and “score on your own net.”

Still, mistakes are part of life, and it’s best to be able to recognize areas in which you might be most prone to making mistakes. Are you lax when communicating with your client (internal or external)? Identifying areas for improvement can lead to a more considerate course of action, which can cut down on mistakes. Double check that email or have a co-worker do it (and help them in return!).

One time I was assigned a search which required clearing a priority date (such as you would find in a Validity search) and I happened to find the perfect reference (maybe some of you can already see where this is going). All the features matched the patent which I was comparing it (with only one or two exceptions)! It fit so neatly. It came time for me to fill out a report citing the bibliographic information from my reference and I realized in horror that my reference missed the priority date by a mere month. I quickly scrambled back to the reference’s patent family in search of a related document that would clear the date only to come up empty handed. I had lost all the time and effort dedicated to using my now irrelevant reference. It ended up being a long night as I scrambled to put the pieces back together and finish the search.

Thankfully I’ve learned how to become more efficient and double-check my work as I go along, but this is only one kind of error that can be made during a patent search. Read on to find out the five worst mistakes you can make in the process of doing a patent search (and what you can do, should they happen).