Patents on the soles of your shoes...: July 2022

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Oh, patents! TEQ® Lite (4)

The TEQ® Lite table is both a more affordable and lighter-weight version of the existing TEQBALL®(1) tables. Third member of the series, the TEQ® Lite combines the most important features of the original TEQBALL® One table, and of the foldable TEQBALL® Smart table. In other words, the TEQ® Lite table is for indoor or oudoor use, UV proof, foldable and movable. Most importantly, the lower price tag of the TEQ® Lite table is expected to make the game better known, as it becomes more easily accessible to an ever wider group of users.

The TEQ® Lite table industrial design is filed with the United Nations (UN), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), under the registration number, DM207248. Below, two images of the TEQ® Lite table, included in the WIPO registration, and one image of the folded table, extracted from the TEQBALL® website. A video advertising the TEQ® Lite table is also included beneath.

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Note

(1) TEQBALL® is a game at the intersection of soccer and ping-pong, somewhat consonant with futnet (tennis soccer in the US). The game is played with a recommended size-5 soccer ball and a curved table, in a single or doubles game, indoors or outdoors, in a small space compared to a soccer field or tennis court.

References

International Federation of TEQBALL® (FITEQ - Fédération Internationale de TEQBALL®)

https://www.fiteq.org/

TEQBALL®

https://www.teqball.com/

Saturday, July 30, 2022

Oh, patents! TEQBALL®(3)

The invention of the TEQBALL® game table is recited in the US patent application, US2016271469A1, titled Multi-purpose sports apparatus. Interestingly, the invention is recited as a sports apparatus, intended to improve a soccer player’s technical skills. In particular, the invention aims at providing practice that involves intense player movement, excellent ball and kicking control, increased strength and concentration, quick evaluation and decision-making skills, without requiring an undue amount of outdoor space. As a result, the TEQBALL® apparatus actually offers soccer players, an opportunity to develop their skills, while playing with opponents in a singles or doubles game, somewhat consonant with futnet (soccer tennis in the USA), only in much smaller spaces. For this purpose, the sports apparatus offers a height-adjustable, curved tabletop playing surface, causing the ball to always bounce outwards from the apparatus. Thus, the persons using the apparatus can intercept the ball with foot or head, without the apparatus obstructing or inhibiting movement.

Below, a video showing the installation of a TEQBALL® table, coaching and demonstration at the Mahamasina National Palace of Culture and Sports in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

The abstract of the invention is included below, together with the patent Figure 1, depicting the TEQBALL® table with partial cross-sections for the height- and curvature-adjustment mechanisms (31 and 40 respectively). In particular, the patent Figure 1 shows the sports apparatus 1, comprising a tabletop (foundation body) 10, on top of a supporting structure 30, which has a smaller footprint. The tabletop 10 comprises an upper member 10a and a lower member 10b. The bendable upper member 10a, made of plywood, comprises a playing area 11 with a convex surface 15. The lower member 10b of the tabletop 10, made of rigid material, is designed for the purposes of connecting the tabletop 10 to the supporting structure 30. A rigid, plate-like obstacle 20, preferably transparent, divides the playing area 11, in two halves. A spacer 22 enables to adjust the height 21 of the obstacle 20. A curvature-adjustment mechanism 40, comprising connection pieces 41, and a tensioning mechanism 42, consisting of several threaded rods, enable to adjust the curvature of the table. A height-adjustment unit 30 is depicted below the tabletop, comprising connectors 31 a-b, and a manually-operated hydraulic actuator 31c, enabling to adjust the height of the tabletop, relative to the base 2.

The subject of the utility model is a multi-purpose sports apparatus particularly for improving footballers' technical skills, comprising a foundation body (10) containing a playing surface (11) and an obstacle element (20). The distinctive feature of the method is that the playing surface (11) of the foundation body (10) looking from the interior of the foundation body (10) has an at least partially convex top surface (15) and the foundation body (10) has a support structure (30) which separates the playing surface (11) from the base (2). [Abstract US 2016271469A1]

In 2018, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) officially recognized The International Federation of TEQBALL® (FITEQ), during its General Assembly Meeting, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. A major milestone, opening the doors for inclusion in the programs of OCA-sponsored games, and down the road, the Olympics.

References

International Federation of TEQBALL® (FITEQ - Fédération Internationale de TEQBALL®)

https://www.fiteq.org/

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)

https://ocasia.org/

TEQBALL®
https://www.teqball.com/

Friday, July 29, 2022

Oh, patents! TEQBALL® (2)

The ornamental properties of the curved TEQBALL® table have received several US design patents. In particular, the following three US design patents were awarded to Viktor Huszár and Gábor Borsányi, TEQBALL® inventors, and two of the founders the TEQBALL® venture.

USD823965S Teqball table
USD868919S Teqball table
USD952044S Teqball table

As a reminder, a US design patent covers the way an invention looks, in contrast to a US utility patent, which covers how an invention works. (USPTO MPEP).

Below, an image of the patent Figure 1, extracted from the US design patent, USD952044S, together with an image of the marketed TEBBALL® ONE table model. The Figure 1 displays a perspective view of the TEQBALL® table. The designation "ONE" of the TEQBALL® ONE table model refers to the awesome “all in one” combination of the soccer/ping-pong game concept.

References

TEQBALL®
https://www.teqball.com/

United State Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Manual of Patent Examination Procedures (MPEP) – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent.
https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Oh, patents! TEQBALL® (1)

Hailing from Hungary, the birthplace of Rubik’s Cube, TEQBALL® might be the next hottest, new Olympic sports competition. At the intersection of ping-pong and expert soccer moves and tricks, the game was invented by Gábor Borsányi (former professional soccer player), György Gattyán (international entrepreneur, who recognized the value of the game), and Viktor Huszár (President of the Soccer Club of the Budapest Technology & Economics University).

TEQBALL® is played using a TEQBALL® (recommended size-5 ball used for European football, aka soccer) and a curved table (that looks like a bent ping-pong table). The main rules of the game are the following:

TEQBALL® can be played by two players (singles game) or by four players (doubles game).
A TEQBALL® match consists of best-of-three sets.Each set is played until a player/team reaches 12 points.
Every player/team has two attempts to complete a successful service.
The players/teams change service after each four points.
It is forbidden to touch the ball with the same body part twice consecutively.
It is forbidden to return the ball with the same body part twice consecutively.
Every player/team is allowed to return the ball with a maximum of 3 touches by any body part, except for the hands and arms.
In doubles, a team has a maximum of 3 touches, however, the teammates must pass the ball at least once to each other.
While playing, neither the table nor the opponent can be touched.
In case of an edgeball, the rally shall be repeated.

The video below shows highlights of the 2019 TEQBALL® World Championships held in Budapest Hungary.

References

TEQBALL®

https://www.teqball.com/

TEQBALL® Rules and Regulations

https://cdn.buttercms.com/LUCXVsccQ2OxMvAZImdZ

Beach TEQBALL® Rules and Regulations

https://cdn.buttercms.com/La2lBIdoQJ2bgSHLFoDs

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Oh, patents! Twistlight

More than 1.4 billion vein punctures are performed each year, with about 33% failing access the first time, especially for children, obese people, the elderly, and people with heavily pigmented skin (National Center for HealthStatistics). Repeat attempts at finding a vein also create pain and discomfort for patients, as well as an increased risk of infection and complication (Leipheimer et al., 2019).

In response to the problematic situation of failed vein access attempts, aka “difficult vein access” (DVA), the Twistlight is a hand-held, light-assisted application aid, designed to increase first-stick access to veins. The device makes it easier to detect veins, even veins in bad condition, and assists with the insertion of an IV line thanks to its integrated catheter feed.

The Twistlight invention, masterminded by Tina Zimmer, is recited (in German) in the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) patent, WO2016091956A1, titled Application Device. Below, the official translation of the invention abstract, together with Figure 2a, one of the referenced patent drawings, depicting the application device in use on a patient arm. An image of the marketed device is also included.

The invention relates to an application device (1) for the light-based finding of a peripheral vein, and the subsequent execution of a venipuncture in the region of a skin surface (4) of a patient, comprising at least one light source (2) and a catheter holder (6) for holding a catheter (2), wherein a support surface (7) is provided for supporting the application device (1) on the skin surface (4), and at least one part (8) of a transmission surface (9) for transmitting the light beams (10) generated by the light source (5) into a tissue located under the skin surface (4) is arranged in the region of the support surface (7). The invention also relates to a catheter application assembly, a catheter assembly and a carrier element having a catheter holder, as well as a single-use protective sleeve for a carrier element. [Abstract]

In 2017, the Twistlight device was selected as International runner-up for a James Dyson Award, and was the winner for the German Design Award .

References

James Dyson International runner-up
https://www.jamesdysonaward.org/en-US/2017/project/twistlight/

German Design Award 2017

https://www.german-design-award.com/en/the-winners/gallery/detail/8795-twistlight.html

Leipheimer, J.M., Balter, M. L. , Chen, A.I., Pantin, E. J., Davidovich, A. E., Labazzo, K. S., and M. L. Yarmush1 (2019). First-in-human evaluation of a hand-held automated venipuncture device for rapid venous blood draws. Technology (Singap World Sci). 2019 Sep-Dec; 7(3-4): 98–107.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7156113/#R1

National Center for Health Statistics, N. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2016 Emergency Department Summary Tables

National Center for Health Statistics – FastStats

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm

Tina Zimmer - Twistlight

http://tinazimmer.de/portfolios/eins/?lang=en

Friday, July 8, 2022

Oh, patents! HOPES

HOPES, an acronym for Home Eye Pressure E-skin Sensor, is a wearable sensor device that enables users to self-monitor Intraocular Pressure (IOP). Elevated IOP is the highest modifiable risk factor of glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness, affecting more than 2 million people in the US alone (Glaucoma Research Foundation).

The gold standard procedure for measuring IOP is Goldman Applanation Tonometry (GAT), a procedure routinely performed at optometry offices, requiring the use of fluorescein dye and local anesthesia drops. Beyond costs and relative intrusiveness of the GAT procedure performed on the cornea, the GAT test is punctual, whereas IOP fluctuates. Thus, GAT IOP in-office testing, offering a 2 to 4-second window of measurements, might not capture maximum IOP, occurring outside the office, at another point. In contrast, HOPES would offer means for self-testing, repeated during a 24-hour period, while avoiding both discomforts and risks to the cornea, since the test is performed on the eyelid. HOPES self-tonometry was also conceived as Bluetooth®-enabled, connected to a mobile device, including tele-health capacity to share data with clinicians (see image below).

Currently undergoing clinical trials, within the National University of Singapore (NUS) Clinical Research Centers, the HOPES sensors and algorithms are patented. The United Nations Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent, WO2020036537A1, titled Method and device for self-measurement of intra-ocular pressure, recites the details of the array sensor technology. A technology designed to capture a plurality of intra-ocular pressures at different positions of an eye, in cooperation with a processor designed to receive the plurality of measures. Measures, which in turn are fed as input to an artificial intelligence learning module, designed to compute an IOP for the eye. The patent also includes results of the reliability testing that was performed to train the artificial intelligence learning module.

Below, the patent Figure 1B depicts a side view of an eye 10, including eyebrow 17 and eyelashes 19. The array of sensors 20, of the self-testing tonometry device 30, are contacting an eyelid 15 for measuring IOP, according to various embodiments of the invention. More specifically, the Figure 1B shows a finger 35, pressing on the force-transfer assembly 25 of the self-testing tonometry device 30, equipped with a flexible member 23, enabling the array of sensors 20 to come into contact with the eyelid 15. When the finger 35 applies force, the array of sensors 20 takes pressure measurements, though the eyelid 15, at the pressure points marked 40 on the eyeball 12.

An image of a marketable embodiment of the invention, being used to self-measure IOP, is included below. The image also shows IOP measurement results posted on a mobile device screen.

The abstract of the HOPES sensor and algorithm invention appears below. The HOPES invention won the International James Dyson Award in 2021.

A self-tonometry device for measuring intra-ocular pressure in an eye of a subject, may include a plurality of sensors and a processor for executing a machine learning module. The plurality of sensors may be arranged in an array for measuring a plurality of pressures at respective positions on an eye of a subject, when the plurality of sensors in the array apply a force to the eye at the respective positions through an eyelid of the subject. The processor may be configured to receive the plurality of pressures at the respective location from the plurality of sensors, and to compute using the machine learning module, an intra-ocular pressure in the eye based on the plurality of pressures measured at the respective positions through the eyelid of the subject. [Abstract WO2020036537A1]

References

Glaucoma Research Foundation – About
https://glaucoma.org/learn-about-glaucoma/

HOPES
https://www.jamesdysonaward.org/en-US/2021/project/hopes/

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Terminology - Gas Tax Holiday (suspension temporaire de la taxe sur l'essence)

The Gas Tax Holiday is a term coined recently in the press, in reference to an executive measure, set forth before Congress, whereby the consumer price of US gas would be reduced for three months, with a Federal tax cut of 18.4 cents. The Federal Government normally withholds 18.4 cents on every gallon of gas sold in the US, to fund highway and road projects.

Reference
Denning, L. (June 22, 2022). Biden’s gas tax holiday won’t save summer. Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/bidens-gas-tax-holiday-wont-save-summer/2022/06/22/98ff9ed6-f26b-11ec-ac16-8fbf7194cd78_story.html

Ferris, S. & A. Cancryn (June 21, 2022). Biden announces a likely doomed gas tax holiday. Politico
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/21/biden-gas-tax-holiday-00041244

Staff (June 22, 2022). US Senate No. 2 Republican says gas tax holiday ‘dead-on-arrival’. Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-senates-no-2-republican-says-gas-tax-holiday-dead-arrival-2022-06-22/

Friday, July 1, 2022

Terminology - Greedflation (inflation dirigée par l'avidité)

The term greedflation belongs to a new family of words derived from inflation (i.e., increases in the price of goods and services unaligned with increases in consumer purchasing power). A new family of terms that currently includes the terms stagflation (i.e., a period of stagnating economic growth) and shrinkflation (i.e.; downsizing of products sold for the price of a larger quantity). A new family of terms with a non-bloodline relative called price gouging (i.e.; abrupt increases in prices in an emergency situation, seen as opportunistic in the face of increasing demand). For example, the price of medical-grade masks at the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, when there were no other purchasing options.

Considering the latest calculated US inflation rate of 8.6 percent (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 10, 2022), the question arising within the context of greedflation is whether it is corporations seeking to maintain their profit margins that are responsible for the increase in prices, gas and food in particular, causing decreases in consumer purchasing power (see image below). According to Wiseman at the Associated Press, a series of connected factors are contributing to the rise in prices. Among the factors cited: massive influx of government spending during the pandemic and record low interest rates, enabling businesses and individuals to stay afloat, but also supporting fast recovery, creating increases in demand and consumer spending, while the global supply chains were interrupted. Bottlenecks in the global supply chain, exacerbated by fast recovery from the pandemic and slow reaction to increase interest rates, in view of curbing inflation. Belief that inflation was just temporary due to supply chain shortages. (AP News, June 26, 2022)

However, the elephant in the room is the Russian invasion of Ukraine with sanctions on Russian financial and trade activity. In particular, the sanctions on Russian gas exports in Europe. A situation with a destabilizing effect on global gas prices, driving gas prices up, which will no doubt become increasingly more significant once winter has settled in, considering that the global conversion to clean energy is still lagging years behind.

Is this situation alarming? According to Janet Yellen, Head of the US Treasury Department, the current runaway inflation does not necessarily mean another recession (i.e., a situation where consumers are overwhelmed with prices too high for spending, at worse causing businesses to fold or to layoff staff, resulting in decreased economic activity.) Yellen has cause for optimism as she endorses the US administration’s bid for a federal, three-month, 18 cents gas tax cut, on the five-dollar (USD5), or more, price of gas per gallon, and believes that consumer savings accrued during the pandemic will sustain demand during inflation (AP News, June 19, 2022).