Welcome to IPWatchdog.com. My name is Gene Quinn and I am a patent attorney, a former law professor and the founder of IPWatchdog.com. Since 1999 IPWatchdog.com has been dedicated to providing a free, reliable and easily understandable resource on intellectual property law and related topics. Over the years the look of IPWatchdog.com has changed, but our mission has always been to provide good information in a way that can be easily understood. Since we first launched this site we have had over 2 million unique visitors, making this one of the most popular destinations on the Internet for information regarding patents, copyrights, trademarks and more.
I feel certain that if you spend some time browsing our site you will find answers to virtually any question you could want answered. We are constantly adding information to the site to continue to make this a fresh and relevant resource, so if you have any suggestions please let me know.
Thank you for your interest in IPWatchdog.com.
Our Latest Blog Posts
To read all our blog posts go to the IPWatchdog.com Blog
Beware Invention.net
Written by Gene Quinn on July 2, 2008 – 1:34 pm Over the years I have written quite a bit about invention submission scams, and in fact one of my most popular pages is The Truth About Invention Submission Companies, which typically comes up in the top few sites in Google and Yahoo when a search is done for invention submission companies. It is sadly true that there are a lot of fraudulent operators in the invention and patent market, but one of the operators that I have had my eye on for some time is not a true invention submission company, but rather a patent attorney who gives all of the rest of us a bad name. Beware Michael Kroll and Invention.net!
I recently came across US Patent No. 7,389,739, which was issued on June 24, 2008, and is entitled Tailgate position indication marker. This patent was obtained for the inventor by Michael Kroll, and is listed as one of his successful patents on his website, Invention.net. Many frequent readers of IPWatchdog.com know that I have taught patent application and patent claim drafting courses now for over 10 years. As I read through the ‘739 patent I was appalled by the quality. Had a student of mine submitted this for a grade it would have received an F. I am not going to opine one way or another about whether this invention should have been patented, but this patent is surely evidence that not all patents are created equally. What is perhaps most sad is that some independent inventor spent a lot of money obtaining this poorly written patent. Maybe what is most sad of all is that the US Patent Office continues to allow Kroll to represent unsuspecting clients.
Should Inventors Draft Patent Applications?
Written by Gene Quinn on June 27, 2008 – 1:07 pm 
It is not at all uncommon for inventors to want to attempt to draft and file patent applications on their own. This is in no small part due to the fact that if an independent inventor goes to a patent attorney the attorney will typically require somewhere from $5,000 to $10,000 up front prior to commencing representation. This is a lot of money for many inventors, particular first time inventors who are trying to invent to follow a dream and/or to perhaps be able to start a business and work for themselves. It is for this reason that many will proceed without an attorney, and perhaps even fall into the clutches of a disreputable invention submission company.
I am frequently asked if it is a good idea for inventors to file their own patent applications. I suspect when this question is asked the person asking the question already knows the answer, but is hoping against hope that they may be told to go right ahead.
Independent Inventors Conference @ PTO
Written by Gene Quinn on June 27, 2008 – 11:32 am 
The 13th annual Independent Inventors Conference will be held on the campus of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, Virginia August 8-9. A pre-conference workshop, for anyone interested in learning about the basics of patents and the importance of intellectual property protection, will be held on August 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. The workshop is for beginners and is a good foundation for the conference It is included in the $100 registration fee.
Top officials of the USPTO, including Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce Margaret Peterlin and Commissioner for Patents John Doll will be presenters at the conference. Also appearing this year will be Louis Foreman, creator and executive producer of the Emmy award winning PBS series, Everyday Edisons.
Obscure Patent: Magnetic therapy device
Written by Gene Quinn on June 25, 2008 – 12:14 pm Bi-axial rotating magnetic therapeutic device
US Patent No. 6,648,812 [ PDF ] [ HTML ]
Issued November 18, 2003
This device varies magnetic field intensity by rotating a single magnet about two axes at the same time. This could be a legitimate, real invention, if only it were claimed as a human amusement device, or a device for sucking money from desperate individuals in search of a cure. The problem is that it has been claimed as “a therapeutic magnetic device.” That being the case, the invention must be useful for its claimed purpose, otherwise a utility rejection under 35 USC 101 and an enablement rejection under 35 USC 112 should issue. The patent itself addresses this by explaining that books have been written supporting the efficacy of magnetic therapy. What the patent fails to point out is that books have also been written about alien abduction and the fact that man never really landed on the moon.
USPTO Online Inventor Chat
Written by Gene Quinn on June 25, 2008 – 9:17 am Senior officials of the United State Patent and Trademark Office will be available live on-line Thursday, June 26, from 2 to 3 PM (EST). They will be answering questions and offering tips for independent inventors. Instructions for taking part in the on-line chat will be posted on the home page of the USPTO web site at 10 AM (EST) next Thursday. Inventors can begin logging on for the chat at 1:30 PM.
Recent Posts
- Beware Invention.net
- Should Inventors Draft Patent Applications?
- Independent Inventors Conference @ PTO
- Obscure Patent: Magnetic therapy device
- USPTO Online Inventor Chat
- United Inventors Association Newsletter
- Apple’s Solar iPod & iPhone
- Obscure Patent: Color-coded clippers
- Obscure Patent: Shock Game
- USPTO Hosts Sally Ride TOY Challenge
