Posts Tagged: "milestone patents"

Near Miss Patents: Looking back at almost milestone innovations

People tend to focus on these nice, round numbers when looking at significant points in history. Here, however, we want to have a little fun with numbers and stick up for the little guy in this conversation, the “coulda been a contenders” or your near-misses, however you choose to view them. So today, we thought we’d take a look back at some of the mile markers that we’ve passed on the road of innovation and feature some technologies largely lost to the annals of time, simply because their issue number was off by one.

U.S. Patent No. 8,000,000 Ceremony – Sept. 8, 2011

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will host a ceremonial signing Thursday for patent no. 8 million at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO David Kappos will present the patent to Second Sight Medical Products, Inc., for a visual prosthesis apparatus that enhances visual perception for people who have gone blind due to outer retinal degeneration. Following the signing, company President and CEO Robert Greenberg will demonstrate the new product, Argus® II.

Visual Prosthesis Innovation Receives U.S. Patent No. 8,000,000

Earlier today the Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today issued U.S. Patent No. 8,000,000. The 8 million patent was issued to Second Sight Medical Products, Inc., for a visual prosthesis apparatus that enhances visual perception for people who have gone blind due to outer retinal degeneration. The invention uses electrical stimulation of the retina to produce the visual perception of patterns of light. The product – the Argus® II – is currently in U.S. clinical trials and has received marketing approval in Europe.

Predicting the Future: When Will U.S. Patent 9,000,000 Issue?

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is poised to issue U.S. Patent No. 8,000,000, which will likely happen on Tuesday, August 16, 2011. This got me to thinking — when exactly can we expect U.S. Patent 9,000,000 to issue? Then my mind wandered to Office pools and I heard the immortal words of Fred Flintstone: “Bet, bet, bet, bet, bet….” So I thought it might be a little fun to engage in some speculation. I pick Tuesday, May 24, 2016.