Patents on the soles of your shoes...

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Oh, patents! The Squatchi

The Squatchi Inc. patent, USD 704080 S1, titled Home shoe-sizer for children is a design patent. (You probably noticed the letter “D” in the patent reference number).

A design patent protects the way an object “looks”, it’s visual and ornamental properties. In contrast, a utility patent protects the functionality of an object, how it works or how it is used. It follows that objects can be protected with both design and utility patents providing all conditions of patentability are fulfilled in each case -- even for a single object like several of Frank Ghery’s chairs (see this previous post on the differences between design and utility patents).

For the present case of a shoe-sizer, such an object may be protected for the way it looks, like the brightly colored Squatchi, designed for use at home to measure children’s shoe sizes. And a shoe-sizer may be patented for the functions it performs like the Shoe-sizer patent US1252920 A that was granted in 1918, for all the patentable improvements that it offered, in particular a sliding block to improve measurement accuracy.

There are many additional important differences between utility and design patents, outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations CFR 37, especially in terms of form. For example, a design patent only contains figure drawings and a single claim, whereas utility patents contain a much more detailed and structured description of the invention, that may run several hundred pages.

Below, to the left, you will find a Squatchi USD 704080 S1 patent drawing, and above an image of the real marketed product. The figure drawings of patent US1252920 titled Shoe-sizer, granted 1918….with its block slide for more accurate measurements are included below to the right. The image of marketed block slide shoe sizer is also included above.

Just short of 100 years between the Squatchi and the block-slide shoe sizer!...

The Squatchi: http://squatchi.com/about-us/

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Oh, patents! GRUSH – A gaming toothbrush for kids!

You are going to steal your kid’s GRUSH! This is a Bluetooth®--enabled (no pun intended), motion-sensing toothbrush, that enables kids to visualize the effectiveness of brushing their teeth using interactive games that coach them into brushing in all the right places, for the right amount of time, and at the right time, twice every day! Additionally, for very thorough parenting styles.. the GRUSH app also gives parents a full dashboard report of their children's teeth brushing activity using a GRUSH score of brushing consistency and technique…!

Kids can see how they brush on the small animated screen of a Bluetooth-connected device such as a tablette or smartphone, and are coached to brush “30 seconds for every quadrant, with proper brush angle towards the gumline” all within the context of an interactive game where “every stroke is counted and rewarded”! Monster Chase, Toothy Orchestra and Brush a Pet are the three games that provide the interactive coaching and feedback for brushing.

The patent application US 2003001787 titled Toothbrush with electronic game apparatus recites this invention in broken English. In addition to the standard Bluetooth®-, motion sensing, connected toothbrush (manual or electric) and the apps for the interactive game, there are provisions in the patent for communication among family member toothbrushes! So, at some point in the future, you may no longer have to steal your kid’s GRUSH for the GRUSH experience of interactive brushing feedback on screen!

A pediatric dentist on staff at GRUSH appears to have endorsed this invention, claiming that it is sure to motivate kids to brush their teeth. Although admittedly, your kid will be the judge! Otherwise, in its manually-operated version, the GRUSH will certainly have to compete with all the electric toothbrushes for kids, already on the market. Equipped with highly patented pulsating, oscillating and/or rotating tufts (e.g.; US 20120227201) designed to remove plaque and clean teeth in ways that exceed what can be achieved with manual brushing, electric toothbrushes have already accumulated irrefutable data (e.g.; Klukowska et al. 2009; Bartizek and Biesbrock 2002). Additionally, the use of a rotary or rotary-oscillating electric toothbrush with proactive manual rotary or vertical strokes appears counterproductive (US2014230169, [0002]), so the GRUSH motion-sensing and coaching for manual brushing would have to be re-programmed for an electric version of the GRUSH to prevent the use of counterproductive manual techniques with an electric toothbrush.

Below you will find the stylistically wanting abstract for US 2003001787 titled Toothbrush with electronic game apparatus, and a patent figure. And above an image of the “soon to be ” marketed product! You can pre-order here (for 59$). The GRUSH will ship sometime during Q1 2015. The GRUSH is designed for kids as young as three.

“Toothbrush with electronic-game apparatus”, as its alias “gamebrush”, has an electronic-gamer combined and turns boring daily tooth-cleaning into charming electronic-games. The toothbrush can detect what time user brush his teeth and for how long, it requests user do tooth-cleaning upon a regular daily timetable, morning and evening, twice a day. A good oral-care habit is the key factor for user to win in the electronic-game. The game model can be vast of kinds. Thetoothbrush use charming games to “bind” user with a regular daily timetable of tooth-cleaning. It encourages those people without good oral-care habit, especially kids and youngster, brush their teeth regularly. At the meantime, tooth-cleaning history records can be stored in the electronic-game IC chip, so user can check this history record. An advanced model of this toothbrush can communicate with each other and invert its game into multi-player model, another advanced model of this invention allows these toothbrush can speak with each other by voice, for example in a family pack son's toothbrush can speak with dad's toothbrushby voice, just like conversations between real family members. To contact inventor for licensing or other opportunities, please send email to: bizants_jeff@hotmail.com

References

Bartizek, R. D. & A. R. Biesbrock (2002) Dental plaque removal efficacy of a battery-powered toothbrush vs. a control Japanese manual toothbrush. Am. J. Dent. Sept, 15, Spec. No 33A-36A. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12512990
Grush, Inc Gaming Toothbrush: http://www.grushgamer.com/
Klukowska, M.A., Timm, H., Grender, J., Rooney, J., and A, Biesbrock (2009) Plaque removal by battery-powered toothbrush and manual toothbrush. Research presented at the 87^th session of the IADR (Indian Academy of Restorative Dentistry), April 1-14, 2009, in Miami, FL. http://www.dentalcare.com/media/en-US/research_db/pdf/Page31_2580.pdf
Merchant, P. Dr. (DDS) https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/grush-the-gaming-toothbrush-for-kids
US2014230169 Brush Section For An Electric Toothbrush http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/description?CC=US&NR=2014230169A1&KC=A1&FT=D&ND=3&date=20140821&DB=worldwide.espacenet.com&locale=en_EP
US 20120227201 Electric toothbrush head https://www.google.com/patents/US20120227201?dq=US2012227201&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kO3WVMeWE4PxoASkgIEo&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA

Friday, February 6, 2015

Oh, patents! The Petcube camera

So you have pets, and when you leave’m at home to go to work, Fluffy chews on your favorite shoes, Tiger gets anxious, and both become couch potatoes; the pet sitter only comes in for an hour, the TV and the radio are hardly interactive, and the webcam makes you nervous, and sends you rushing home every time you see trouble on the screen.

In comes the Petcube camera, connected to your mobile device, which also allows you to talk to your furry friends and to play with them, remotely! Yes, there is a laser light pointer that you can drag on screen to give your pets some exercise, from a distance! The app also enables you to extract shots of your pets to send them to your friends!

The patent application that discloses the Petcub invention is US2014233906, titled Remote interaction device. The application discloses a device that includes “ a video recorder, an acoustic transducer, a microphone, an antenna for transmitting and receiving data, a processor, a photonic emission device and photonic emission aiming device, and a power supply.” The photonic emission component is a laser light pointer, which you can remotely control. The video camera includes a wide angle (138°) lens to capture the whole room, especially when the Petcube is positioned at a height.

Below, appears the abstract for US2014233906, titled Remote interaction device, with one of the patent figure drawings; and above there are two images of the marketed product with satisfied furry customers.

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for remote interaction with a subject in an environment. The device has audio-visual recording and transmitting functionality to provide an operator at a remote location with an audio-visual feed of the environment near the device. The device also has a light emission component which the operator controls and which projects light onto a surface in the environment in the vicinity of the device. The systems, devices, and methods provide operators with the ability to interact with pets and provide exercise and stimulation to pets when their owners are away.

Hot, hot, hot! A second batch of this device is scheduled to roll out this month!

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Oh, patents! Google AR (augmented reality) image recognition

Just take a picture of a real world object with an AR app that superimposes virtual information in the form of text or graphics onto the real world object for real time interaction. Voila! This is Augmented Reality! The real world object acquires new properties and more depth in the virtual world, where conversely, the user can experience the virtual world as part of the real world, resulting in an augmented impression of the real world.

Easy said… but how does it work? How do you get the application to recognize an image (i.e.; bring information to the image)? How does the application differentiate among the multiple objects of an image (e.g.; a street with all of its different overlapping buildings)? How does the application provide you with information about the parts of an image that are hidden or actually non visible, and for what purposes?

For example, how does the application provide information about the closest restaurant, or hair salon, or post-office when the actual shops or business are not visible on the image? And even if the objects are visible (e.g.; the TransAmerica or the Francis Ford Coppola buildings in San Francisco), how does the application recognize them, and supply relevant information about the sites?

Google patent US 8810599, titled Image recognition in augmented reality discloses an invention that precisely addresses these issues. Specifically, the invention seeks to match position information attached to an acquired image with stored geo-coded images, in view of both characterizing the acquired image and matching it against the descriptive information known for the stored images, and finally superimposing Augmented Reality display data (graphic or text) on the captured image for querying by the user.

The invention includes a number of additional aspects, including: means for adjusting position or location, when for example the image was acquired at a slightly different angle from the geo-coded stored image, or when the coordinates obtained for the position data are slightly different from what was previously stored virtually for that location; means for re-calibrating a compass tool on the computing device, and using the compass for determining aim and direction sensed when the image was taken; means for ordering the search and display of information according to popularity (e.g. coffee vs tobacco shop), among many additional aspects.

Below appears the abstract for US 8810599, titled Image recognition in augmented reality, and above Figure 1 of this patent depicting use of GPS compass coordinates for determining location of the image objects, using a mobile device and front camera.

A computer-implemented augmented reality method includes obtaining an image acquired by a computing device running an augmented reality application, identifying image characterizing data in the obtained image, the data identifying characteristic points in the image, comparing the image characterizing data with image characterizing data for a plurality of geo-coded images stored by a computer server system, identifying locations of items in the obtained image using the comparison, and providing, for display on the computing device at the identified locations, data for textual or graphical annotations that correspond to each of the items in the obtained image, and formatted to be displayed with the obtained image or a subsequently acquired image.

Of course, when reading the above-cited abstract, you will have already noticed that in a world of patents where computer programs that transform everyone’s life cannot be patented, US 8810599 is a “computer-implemented augmented reality method…” where “an image is acquired by a computing device, running an augmented reality application…”.

Consequently, and elsewhere in the specifications of the patent, since the coded instructions of a computer program cannot be patented, you will discover that this invention also includes "tangible non-transient recordable computer storage media” that “stores the instructions which once executed make it possible to acquire an image with a device, running an augmented reality program”.

Finally, in addition to the media support for this method, the patent also covers the means for acquiring the image, means for sending the image data wirelessly to a server containing geo-coded image data; means for comparing and matching acquired data with stored data, means for extracting and displaying the virtual data for an augmented impression of reality..., plus much more, in terms of the scope of the invention and its variations: of input modes (voice, stylus, keyboard), of operating systems (Android, iOS, Rim Blackberry, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Symbian…), of the means for determining location of user, and position of image; of the networks supporting transmission of information etc! (The patent runs 26 pages.)

Cheers, and thanks Google!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Oh, patents! IBM AR (augmented reality) shopping

AR applications (i.e.; augmented reality applications different from amplified reality applications according to Falk, Reström and Björk) encompass a plethora of applications, in a wide range of domains, from fashion, shopping, tourism and interior decorating, to (ocular) iris, face, photo or finger print recognition, which are usually referred to as biometrics applications when they are security-related.

In AR (augmented reality) users are able to bring together the virtual world and the real world, in real time interaction, which ultimately imposes new properties on physical objects (private and/or public) and thus deepens (augmenting and/or amplifying) the real world experience. So, for example, AR shopping may bring together shelf products and vast amounts of information stored in databases which can be queried in real time. The user simply scans the products from the shelf and begins interacting with the vast amount of stored or virtual information that superimposes the product. Assuming, for example, that the user scanned several boxes of breakfast cereal, the AR application may then allow the user to find out, in real time as a personal aid to the shopping experience, which box has the best price, the lowest sugar content, the fewest calories per portion, the best product reviews, etc. Conversely, the shopper can specify desired characteristics in a shopping list, and the app can scan a shelf of products, or connect to the store inventory, to find a match, route the customer, and superimpose information on the product, thus assisting shoppers in selecting what to buy.

The IBM patent application US2014201026 titled Personalized customer shopping experience does just what was described above plus much more! Indeed, there are also means disclosed for the consumer products to “announce” via technology, directly to the shopper approaching the product in the aisle, that there is a match with the shopper’s preferences or shopping interests, habits or modeled propensity for replenishment. So, for example, if the shopper enters a store to buy a TV, the TV that matches the shopper’s interests, shopping profile, and/or search criteria, will ”announce” this “temporal understanding of the product preferences of a given customer within the store” to the shopper entering a threshold vicinity or proximity. In other words, no more searching, reading all the labels or asking for assistance to the salesperson when faced with a wall full of TV screens! The desired TV (match) will “reach out” to the customer… with a buzz and/or message: “Hi Bill, I am Sony Bravia, 32 inch, Hi-Definition, Smart LED TV. My cost is $465, with 1 yr additional warrantee and free home delivery”. And even suggest “cross-selling or related products” based on “known or understood relevance to the consumer’s needs” – a function that translates almost proverbially as “you might also be interested in….”.

This AR shopping experience is achieved by aligning the available inventory of the store (as soon as the shopper walks into the store), with the means that determine what is known and modeled about the shopper’s current intent, habits, preferences, tastes, prior purchases or propensity for replenishment (i.e. the shopper’s shopping list!). The invention also includes means for switching on an audio and/or visual signal designed to greet the customer, announce matches, and suggest cross matches with the customer’s known preferences or current interests and shopping intent. The matching and announcement means further comprise a rank-ordering system designed to organize all the potential matches between the available inventory of products and the consumer’s shopping list (i.e. known or current state of the shopper’s preferences, tastes, intents or propensity for replenishment).

Finally, since this is ultimately a research-based, and multilayered computer program (or software) invention, whose authored instructions and code could technically only be copyrighted, this computer program is patented as media-supported instructions for running a “method”. Thus, the patent covers a computer program product, able to perform the shopping assistance operations, that includes “a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions run by the processing circuit for running a method.”

For further information, the abstract for this invention is included below for US2014201026 titled Personalized customer shopping experience.

A method that improves and enhances the customer's in-store shopping experience. The consumer product of purchase interest or intent to buy expresses (or self-announces via technology) it's match (or fit based on known or understood buying habits, customer taste, tendencies, etc) against the customer preferences during an in-store shopping experience.

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To conclude with a completely different take on augmented and /or amplified reality… Adam Harvey, an Interactive Telecommunications NYU alumni, is making waves at the intersection of technology and counter-surveillance using decoys, spoofing and camouflage technologies, in art, to express the angst of amplification... (e.g.; McNeil , 2012)

Thus, I suspect that Adam Harvey would offer a completely different approach on such a personalized customer shopping experience and what might alternatively be perceived as hinging on invasion of privacy and encroachment on personal space, arising in the modeling of consumer habits and GPS tracking…. But that is indeed a whole different set of concerns and sensitivities voiced in a world of ubiquitous computing (Weiser,1996)!

References

Flak, J., Reström, J. and S. Bjork () Amplifying reality. http://www.johan.redstrom.se/papers/ampreality.pdf

Harvey, A. http://ahprojects.com/

Herrmann, F. (2013) Oh, patents! Adam Harvey @ NYU. Post at Patents on the soles of your shoes on Oct 20, 2013) http://patentsonthesolesofyourshoes.blogspot.com/2013/10/oh-patents-adam-harvey-nyu.html

McNeill, J. (2012) Artist profile: Adam Harvey. Rhizome, June 11, 2012. http://rhizome.org/editorial/2012/jun/11/artist-profile-adam-harvey/

Weiser, M. (1996) http://www.ubiq.com/weiser/

Weiser, M. (1993) "Some Computer Science Problems in Ubiquitous Computing," Communications of the ACM, July 1993. (reprinted as "Ubiquitous Computing". Nikkei Electronics; December 6, 1993; pp. 137-143.) http://www.ubiq.com/hypertext/weiser/UbiCACM.html

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Oh, patents! Apple joystick

Are you a computer game buff? Do you miss the joystick experience when playing computer games on your Iphone or Ipad?

Rejoice! Apple just disclosed a pop-up joystick on January 15, 2015 in patent application US20150015475, titled Multifunction input device!

In a nutshell, this invention is designed to provide users with a pop-up home button! In one mode, the button is flush with the surface of the Iphone or Ipad, functioning as a regular push button. In the other mode the button “pops out” or projects from the surface to give the user a joystick experience for all sorts of computer games, including flight simulators!

The following two patent drawings show a cross-sectional view of the home button with shaft and spring illustrated in the two modes: flush and "proud". The first mode of the home button is pressed (flush with the surface of the Iphone or Ipad), and the second mode of the home button is depressed (popped-out or "proud", in regards the surface of the Iphone or Ipad). The spring brings the shaft back to the illustrated center position, after the user has tilted it right or left:

For the button to pop out or back flush with the surface of the Iphone or Ipad, the user will have to press on it beyond a threshold value (i.e. exert a force stronger than 1000 g). In the pop-out mode, the input device is designed for use in 3 directions corresponding to the 3D directions of the Y axis (horizontal), the X axis (vertical), and the Z axis (depth). In the popped back in (flush) mode, the button can only be pressed in the Z axis (depth) direction. The input device is thus multifunctional as it may work in both conventional push button mode and three dimensional joystick mode. The picture below shows a regular home button flush with the surface of an Iphone.

Beyond the mechanical aspects of the pop-up bottom which may include a shaft and spring as illustrated above, or a variety of additional implementations such as sensors and electromagnets to activate release of the button, or a telescoping mechanism, the invention also includes the instructions or software readable device for the computer program controlling the operations of both modes of the input device. Media support may include magnetic storage (e.g.; floppy disc), optical storage (e.g.; CD-ROM), read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), erasable programmable memory (EPROM), flash memory or other.

As mentioned elsewhere in this blog (for example for the patentability of the QR code), the only way to patent software or a computer program is via media support or a code-readable device. This is because, computer instructions or the computer code itself that constitutes software or a computer program, appearing in writing, can otherwise only be protected via Copyright law, which is historically both controversial and inadequate in this case.

In any event, keep an eye out for a future generation of your Iphone or Ipad equipped with a pop-up joystick/home button, termed a multifunctional input device. This invention is patent-pending, even if it is not yet marketed!

The abstract for US20150015475, titled Multifunctional input device is included below for reference purposes:

An electronic device includes a surface and a multi-function input device. The multi-function input device is operable in at least a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, an input portion of the multi-function input device is flush with the surface or recessed in the surface and is operable to receive z axis press input data. In the second mode, the input portion is positioned proud of the surface (i.e., project from the surface) and is operable to receive x axis input data and/or y axis input data. The input portion may also be operable to receive z axis input data in the second mode. In one example, the multi-function input device may have a button mode and a joystick mode.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Oh, patents! Nike automated lacing system

Hooray for Spring 2015!! And what better kick off than the prospect of never having to tie your shoelaces again!

Indeed, shoe laces begone! Welcome automated lacing!

Nike has just patented an automated lacing system for their Back to the Future Air Mags! These shoes are a replica of the sneakers worn by Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, in the movie Back to the Future II. Nike marketed Back to the future Air Mags in 2011 with all proceeds of the sale benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, but the 2011 Back to the future Air Mags did not have automated shoe lacing like the ones in the movie!

The automated lacing feature is now patented and Nike Back to the future Air Mags with automated lacing are slated for rollout in 2015! The sneakers contain a motor inserted inside a cavity of the heel portion of the sole. The motor with a driveshaft and yoke is connected to straps on the upper portion of the sneakers in such a manner that when the motor is activated, the straps tighten to close, or loosen to open.

The sneakers also include an automated ankle cinching system that adjusts to the user’s ankle. The mechanism for the ankle cinching strap is a coil spring that winds around a shaft located in a housing at the back of the ankle. Finally the sneakers also contain user-activated means of controlling the lacing and ankle cinching systems in the form of a button or switch. And the system may also include a user-activated (weight) sensor for activation of the laces

Below you will find the abstract for Nike patent US 8769844, titled Automated Shoe Lacing System, awarded on July 8, 2014. You will also find a patent figure drawing, an image of the product for marketing (above), and a short clip of Marty McFly (aka Michael J. Fox) in Back to the Future II putting on Air Mags with automated (power) lacing!

Abstract - US 8769844

An article of footwear with an automatic lacing system is disclosed. The automatic lacing system provides a set of straps that can be automatically opened and closed to switch between a loosened and tightened position of the upper. The article further includes an automatic ankle cinching system that is configured to automatically adjust an ankle portion of the upper.