Happy New Year! New Year Patents for the Decade 2000-2009
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Written by Gene Quinn Patent Attorney & Founder of IPWatchdog Zies, Widerman & Malek Follow Gene on Twitter @IPWatchdog Posted: Dec 31, 2009 @ 5:55 pm 
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The end of 2009 is rapidly approaching, and with it will come the end of the first decade of the new century and millennium. I always try and find some interesting patents to help celebrate the holidays, and given that we are wrapping up the decade I thought it might be appropriate to limit these New Year Patents to those issued since 2000. While this is not intended to be an exhaustive list, here are a few that caught my attention.
We at IPWatchdog wish everyone a Happy New Year. May 2010 be filled with happy times and wonderful memories!
New year’s ball drop
US Patent Application No. 10/749,307
Publication No. US 2005/0138851 A1
Filing date: December 30, 2003
This invention, which was never patented, relates generally to illuminated celebratory devices and, more specifically, to a New Year’s Ball Dropping down a vertical support pole reaching the bottom at a predetermined time. Upon reaching the bottom lights are activated on a year display sign and flashing the ball lights to announce the onset of the New Year’s Celebration. According to the patent application the invention overcame the short comings of the prior art by providing a New Year’s Ball Drop having a timing device assure the ball reaches its destination at a precise moment of celebration and lighting up a New Year display sign. I suspect the pole and ball drop set up in Times Square in New York City was the prior art, among other things. According to PAIR the application was abandoned on August 22, 2005 for failure to respond to the non-final Office Action. A notice of abandonment was mailed on August 26, 2005.
Chemiluminescent eyeglass frame
US Patent No. 6,196,680
Filing date: April 10, 2000
Issue date: March 6, 2001
This invention is a novelty eyeglass frame, which includes a front portion formed of a synthetic plastic material curved into the shape of the numerals 2001. The front portion of the eyeglass frame of the present invention can have portions curved into any desirable shape; including different numerals or different novelty configurations. The frame is designed to accept a fluorescent dye which when mixed with the activator enables the mixed solution to emit chemiluminescent light.
Animated holiday-scene display device
US Patent No. 6,485,350
Filing date: September 29, 2001
Issue date: November 26, 2002
This invention is an animated holiday-scene display device for providing decorative entertainment tools. The animated holiday-scene display device includes a base member having a top side and being adapted to rest upon a surface; and also includes an ornamental figurine being mounted upon the topside of the base member and having a body and movable arms; and further includes an ornamental object also being mounted upon the top side of the base member; and also includes a light-emitting assembly being disposed throughout the ornamental object; and further includes an assembly for actuating movement of the ornamental figurine. According to the Detailed Description, the ornamental figurine is either a Baby New Year character having a ribbon-like member wrapped about the body thereof, or a snowman.
About the Author
Gene Quinn is a US Patent Attorney, law professor and the founder of IPWatchdog.com. He is also a principal lecturer in the top patent bar review course in the nation, which helps aspiring patent attorneys and patent agents prepare themselves to pass the patent bar exam. Gene started the widely popular intellectual property website IPWatchdog.com in 1999, and since that time the site has had many millions of unique visitors. Gene has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the LA Times, USA Today, CNN Money, NPR and various other newspapers and magazines worldwide. He represents individuals, small businesses and start-up corporations. As an electrical engineer with a computer engineering focus his specialty is electronic and computer devices, Internet applications, software and business methods.
