FedInvent™ Patents

New Taxpayer Funded Patents for Tuesday, March 07, 2006 

This page was updated on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 08:01 PM GMT

FedInvent analyzed 75 taxpayer-funded patents this week.

On Tuesday, March 07, 2006, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted 75 taxpayer-funded patents; including 62 patents containing government interest statements and 28 patents where federal government agencies were an assignee or applicant. Together, 75 patents granted this week are the result of US government-funded research & development.

Learn More About Taxpayer Funded Patents Here

The List of This Week's Patents

Just a list — patent number with a link and the title, for those patentistas who like to browse.

About The Icons On the List Below

  • The icon takes you to the full text version of the patent at USPTO;
  • The icon takes you to the PDF version of the patent at USPTO; and
  • The icon takes you to the details about the patent on the FedInvent Details page.
  • When you use the icon the patent you are interested appears at the top of the list on the details page.
Patent Title
001 07007370
 
Self-assembled electrical networks 
002 07007474
 
Energy recovery during expansion of compressed gas using power plant low-quality heat sources 
003 07007475
 
Conical helical of spiral combustor scroll device in gas turbine engine 
004 07007480
 
Multi-axial pivoting combustor liner in gas turbine engine 
005 07007483
 
Turbine engine nozzle 
006 07007491
 
Thermal management system for a vehicle 
007 07007569
 
Telescoping and locking lever arm 
008 07007585
 
Multi-hit transparent armor system 
009 07007606
 
Method for utilizing a MEMS safe arm device for microdetonation 
010 07007607
 
Missile system for breaching reinforced concrete barriers utilizing hinged explosively formed projectile warheads 
011 07007626
 
Amphibious robot devices 
012 07007669
 
Distributed ignition method and apparatus for a combustion engine 
013 07007690
 
Advanced chemical/biological crew mask 
014 07007897
 
Flight control actuation system 
015 07008004
 
Boattail plates with non-rectangular geometries for reducing aerodynamic base drag of a bluff body in ground effect 
016 07008005
 
Device for reducing vehicle aerodynamic resistance 
017 07008183
 
Deflector embedded impingement baffle 
018 07008193
 
Micropump assembly for a microgas chromatograph and the like 
019 07008539
 
Submerged ammonia removal system and method 
020 07008544
 
Hydrate-based desalination/purification using permeable support member 
021 07008559
 
Manganese doped upconversion luminescence nanoparticles 
022 07008563
 
Polymer-wrapped single wall carbon nanotubes 
023 07008564
 
Cured composite materials for reactive metal battery electrolytes 
024 07008601
 
Materials and methods for the separation of copper ions and ferric iron in liquid solutions 
025 07008605
 
Method for manufacturing high quality carbon nanotubes 
026 07008625
 
Recombinant constructs of Borrelia burgdorferi 
027 07008634
 
Cell growth substrates with tethered cell growth effector molecules 
028 07008674
 
Thermal barrier coating protected by alumina and method for preparing same 
029 07008675
 
Polymers for orientation and stability of liquid crystals 
030 07008737
 
Gray scale x-ray mask 
031 07008749
 
High resolution resists for next generation lithographies 
032 07008765
 
PCA3, PCA3 genes, and methods of use 
033 07008767
 
Microorganism genomics, compositions and methods related thereto 
034 07008768
 
Method for detecting radiation exposure 
035 07008774
 
Practical serological assay for the clinical diagnosis of leishmaniasis 
036 07008780
 
Chimeric DNA-binding proteins 
037 07008782
 
Bardet-Biedl susceptibility gene and uses thereof 
038 07008798
 
Cyanine dyes as labeling reagents for detection of biological and other materials by luminescence methods 
039 07008806
 
Multi-subband criterion for the design of a double-barrier quantum-well intrinsic oscillator 
040 07008937
 
Porphyrins and metalloporphyrins for inhibiting heme iron uptake 
041 07008964
 
Contaminant removal from natural resources 
042 07008970
 
Method for direct conversion of gaseous hydrocarbons to liquids 
043 07008971
 
Composite polymer electrolytes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells 
044 07009038
 
pDJA1, a cardiac specific gene, corresponding proteins, and uses thereof 
045 07009043
 
Plus end-directed microtubule motor required for chromosome congression 
046 07009044
 
HCV/BVDV chimeric genomes and uses thereof 
047 07009050
 
5-Substituted pyrimidine derivatives of conformationally locked nucleoside analogues 
048 07009141
 
Rotary scanning laser head with coaxial refractive optics 
049 07009181
 
Apparatus and method for OSL-based, remote radiation monitoring and spectrometry 
050 07009209
 
Silicon carbide and related wide-bandgap transistors on semi-insulating epitaxy for high-speed, high-power applications 
051 07009338
 
High efficiency multi-color electro-phosphorescent OLEDs 
052 07009392
 
Method of estimating target signals by a dynamical fluxgate sensor 
053 07009414
 
Atomic force microscope and method for determining properties of a sample surface using an atomic force microscope 
054 07009526
 
RFID system and method including tag ID compression 
055 07009564
 
TM microstrip antenna 
056 07009572
 
Tapered slot antenna 
057 07009708
 
Symmetric periscope for concentric beam configuration in an ultra-high precision laser interferometric beam launcher 
058 07009759
 
Multiple channel optical frequency mixers for all-optical signal processing 
059 07010010
 
Broadband cascade light emitters 
060 07010052
 
Apparatus and method of CTCM encoding and decoding for a digital communication system 
061 07010060
 
Real-time software receiver 
062 07010069
 
Method for co-channel interference identification and mitigation 
063 07010089
 
Digital radiographic sensor view capture 
064 07010167
 
Method of geometric linear discriminant analysis pattern recognition 
065 07010187
 
Mode transition-discrimination photonic logic device 
066 07010262
 
Techniques for circumventing jamming of global positioning system receivers 
067 07010339
 
Hybrid lidar-radar for medical diagnostics 
068 07010363
 
Electrical appliance energy consumption control methods and electrical energy consumption systems 
069 07010398
 
Control system providing perspective flight guidance 
070 07010401
 
System for guiding a vehicle to a position 
071 07010433
 
Indirect measurement of diluents in a multi-component natural gas 
072 07010463
 
Method of determining whether an improved item has a better mean lifetime than an existing item 
073 07010647
 
Computer system with removable data storage device and method 
074 H2147
 
Digital preemphasizer for transmission of PCM codes 
075 H2148
 
Underwater net protection system 

Up to Start Of Table

Patent Count By Department

This is the count of taxpayer-funded patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) this week. These patents contain a Government Interest Statement in the body of the patent document or are patents where the government is an assignee. Agency numbers are aggregated by the agency named in the Government Interests Statement and the contract number cited in the government interest section of the patent.

Department This Week This Year
Department of Defense (DOD) 38 269
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 12 171
Department of Energy (DOE) 11 127
National Science Foundation (NSF) 8 56
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 6 26
National Security Agency (NSA) 2 9
Small Business Administration (SBA) 2 9
Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1 19
Department of the Interior (DOI) 1 1
Non-Profit Organization (NPO) 1 1
Government Rights Acknowledged 1 22

Patents By Funding Agency

FedInvent Patents are patents funded by US taxpayers. Taxpayer-funded patents have Government Interest Statements in the body of the patent or are patents where an agency of the US federal government has retained the title to the patent and is listed as an assignee. The presence of a government interest statement, as required by the Bayh-Dole Act, indicates the holder of a federal contract, grant, or cooperative research agreement has elected to retain the title of inventions conceived and reduced to practice during that contract.

About The Icons On the List Below

  • The icon takes you to the full text version of the patent at USPTO;
  • The icon takes you to the PDF version of the patent at USPTO; and
  • The icon takes you to the details about the patent on the FedInvent Details page.
  • When you use the icon the patent you are interested appears at the top of the list on the details page.

Click the Panel to See The Patents for Each Agency

Take Me To The Details

Department of Defense (DOD) Agencies

Patent Title
001 07008544
 
Hydrate-based desalination/purification using permeable support member 
002 07008749
 
High resolution resists for next generation lithographies 

Department of the ARMY (DOA)

Patent Title
001 07007585
 
Multi-hit transparent armor system 
002 07007607
 
Missile system for breaching reinforced concrete barriers utilizing hinged explosively formed projectile warheads 
003 07007690
 
Advanced chemical/biological crew mask 
004 07008183
 
Deflector embedded impingement baffle 
005 07008774
 
Practical serological assay for the clinical diagnosis of leishmaniasis 
006 07008806
 
Multi-subband criterion for the design of a double-barrier quantum-well intrinsic oscillator 
007 07010010
 
Broadband cascade light emitters 
008 07010069
 
Method for co-channel interference identification and mitigation 
009 07010089
 
Digital radiographic sensor view capture 
010 07010463
 
Method of determining whether an improved item has a better mean lifetime than an existing item 
011 07010647
 
Computer system with removable data storage device and method 

Department of the Navy (DON) | United States Marine Corps (USMC)

Patent Title
001 07007475
 
Conical helical of spiral combustor scroll device in gas turbine engine 
002 07007480
 
Multi-axial pivoting combustor liner in gas turbine engine 
003 07007483
 
Turbine engine nozzle 
004 07007569
 
Telescoping and locking lever arm 
005 07007606
 
Method for utilizing a MEMS safe arm device for microdetonation 
006 07007626
 
Amphibious robot devices 
007 07008674
 
Thermal barrier coating protected by alumina and method for preparing same 
008 07008749
 
High resolution resists for next generation lithographies 
009 07009209
 
Silicon carbide and related wide-bandgap transistors on semi-insulating epitaxy for high-speed, high-power applications 
010 07009392
 
Method of estimating target signals by a dynamical fluxgate sensor 
011 07009526
 
RFID system and method including tag ID compression 
012 07009564
 
TM microstrip antenna 
013 07009572
 
Tapered slot antenna 
014 07009759
 
Multiple channel optical frequency mixers for all-optical signal processing 
015 07010060
 
Real-time software receiver 
016 07010339
 
Hybrid lidar-radar for medical diagnostics 
017 07010401
 
System for guiding a vehicle to a position 
018 H2147
 
Digital preemphasizer for transmission of PCM codes 
019 H2148
 
Underwater net protection system 

Department of the Air Force (DAF)| United States Space Force (USSF)

Patent Title
001 07008559
 
Manganese doped upconversion luminescence nanoparticles 
002 07008675
 
Polymers for orientation and stability of liquid crystals 
003 07009338
 
High efficiency multi-color electro-phosphorescent OLEDs 
004 07010052
 
Apparatus and method of CTCM encoding and decoding for a digital communication system 
005 07010262
 
Techniques for circumventing jamming of global positioning system receivers 

Up to Start Of Table

Emerging Technology

Emerging Climate Change Technologies

Patents containing 'Y" CPC symbols indicate emerging climate change and clean technology inventions.

About The Icons On the List Below

  • The icon takes you to the full text version of the patent at USPTO;
  • The icon takes you to the PDF version of the patent at USPTO; and
  • The icon takes you to the details about the patent on the FedInvent Details page.
  • When you use the icon the patent you are interested appears at the top of the list on the details page.
Class

About Y Emerging Technology Symbols

Patent documents that contain a Y02 or Y04 CPC symbol are already classified elsewhere. USPTO adds the Y symbols to the classification data to monitor new technological developments covering clean technology and inventions impacting climate change, important American science and technology interests.

Y02 — Green House Gas Mitigation

Y02 covers selected technologies, that control, reduce, or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, and technologies that allow adapting to the adverse effects of climate change. Y02A covers technologies for adaptation to climate change, — technologies that allow adapting to the adverse effects of climate change in human, industrial (including agriculture and livestock), and economic activities. Y02P covers climate change mitigation technologies in any kind of industrial processing or production activity, including the agroalimentary industry (relating to agriculture and food), agriculture, fishing, ranching and the like.

Y04 — Enabling Technologies

Y04 is focused on the information and communications inventions that facilitate climate change technology. Y04S covers systems integrating technologies related to power network operation, communication, or information technologies for improving electrical power generation, transmission, distribution, management, or usage. Examples of the art covered here are technologies related to smart grids, home appliances, and systems supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles.

The Health Complex

This section contains the count of patents funded by The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) organized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) institute; and HHS subagencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and others. These agencies together are called the Health Complex.

Department | Agency This Week This Year
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)12171
National Institutes of Health (NIH)9147
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)13
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)13
National Cancer Institute (NCI)113
U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS)18

Up to Start Of Table

Higher Education Research and Development (HERD)

FedInvent follows the HERD the Higher Education Research and Development institutions — the colleges and universities; research institutions, and medical schools that benefit from federal funding and rely on it to make important discoveries that drive American innovation. Taxpayer-funded patents coming from American and sometimes foreign universities are an important indicia of the vitality of the American innovation ecosphere.

MEMBERS OF THE HERD

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey is the primary source of information on R&D expenditures at 916 US colleges and universities that expended at least $150,000 in separately accounted for R&D in the fiscal year. We use the NSF list to keep track of which colleges and universities are receiving taxpayer-funded patents and filing patent applications.

WATCH This SPACE

We're working on our data analytics and will be reporting taxpayer-funded patents and patent applications shortly. In the meantime, FedInvent will post interesting information about the HERD Innovation Ecosphere here.

Top Ten Universities By R&D Expenditures
  1. Johns Hopkins University
  2. University of Michigan
  3. University of Washington
  4. University of California, San Diego
  5. University of California, San Francisco
  6. Columbia University in the City of New York
  7. Stanford University
  8. University Pittsburgh
  9. University Pennsylvania
  10. Duke University

Count By Tech Center

Patents organized by count and Technology Center where the patent was examined.

Tech Center Count
1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry 15
2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components 15
1700 Chemical and Materials Engineering 14
3600 Transportation, Electronic Commerce, Construction, Agriculture, Licensing and Review 11
3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, Gaming and Medical Devices/Processes 11
2600 Communications 6
2100 Computer Architecture Software and Information Security 3

For more information on the types of inventions examined in each Technology Center, see the About Tech Centers section of this page.

Patents By Scientific Domain.

This section contains the number of patents by high level scientific and technical domain. The data is arranged by the first Cooperative Patent Classification System (CPC) patent symbol assigned to the patent. This indicates the scope and nature of the invention for a patent or a patent application.

Global patent offices use patent classification as their lingua franca — the common language — for exchanging information about inventions and what scientific and technical art a patent contains. The classifications assigned to a patent are used by patent examiners to find prior art and to determine if a particular patent's claims are novel. Patent classifications are also used for global enforcement of patent rights, treaties, and agreements.

Class Class Definition First
(Original)
Inventive
(CrossRef)
USPC 435 Chemistry: Molecular biology and microbiology 6 0
USPC 060 Power plants 4 0
USPC 375 Pulse or digital communications 4 0
USPC 252 Compositions 3 0
USPC 102 Ammunition and explosives 2 0
USPC 210 Liquid purification or separation 2 0
USPC 296 Land vehicles: Bodies and tops 2 0
USPC 324 Electricity: Measuring and testing 2 0
USPC 343 Communications: Radio wave antennas 2 0
USPC 385 Optical waveguides 2 0
USPC 423 Chemistry of inorganic compounds 2 0
USPC 424 Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions 2 0
USPC 430 Radiation imagery chemistry: Process, composition, or product thereof 2 0
USPC 536 Organic compounds 2 0
USPC 701 Data processing: Vehicles, navigation, and relative location 2 0
USPC 702 Data processing: Measuring, calibrating, or testing 2 0
USPC 029 Metal working 1 0
USPC 062 Refrigeration 1 0
USPC 074 Machine element or mechanism 1 0
USPC 089 Ordnance 1 0
USPC 114 Ships 1 0
USPC 123 Internal-combustion engines 1 0
USPC 128 Surgery 1 0
USPC 219 Electric heating 1 0
USPC 244 Aeronautics and astronautics 1 0
USPC 250 Radiant energy 1 0
USPC 257 Active solid-state devices 1 0
USPC 313 Electric lamp and discharge devices 1 0
USPC 340 Communications: Electrical 1 0
USPC 356 Optics: Measuring and testing 1 0
USPC 359 Optical: Systems and elements 1 0
USPC 372 Coherent light generators 1 0
USPC 378 X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices 1 0
USPC 382 Image analysis 1 0
USPC 415 Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps 1 0
USPC 417 Pumps 1 0
USPC 427 Coating processes 1 0
USPC 428 Stock material or miscellaneous articles 1 0
USPC 436 Chemistry: Analytical and immunological testing 1 0
USPC 438 Semiconductor device manufacturing: Process 1 0
USPC 455 Telecommunications 1 0
USPC 514 Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions 1 0
USPC 516 Colloid systems and wetting agents; subcombinations thereof; processes of 1 0
USPC 518 Chemistry: Fischer-Tropsch processes; or purification or recovery of products thereof 1 0
USPC 521 Synthetic resins or natural rubbers 1 0
USPC 530 Chemistry: Natural resins or derivatives; peptides or proteins; lignins or reaction products thereof 1 0
USPC 544 Organic compounds 1 0
USPC 600 Surgery 1 0
USPC 700 Data processing: Generic control systems or specific applications 1 0
USPC 711 Electrical computers and digital processing systems: Memory 1 0

Up to Start Of Table

Count of Inventors by Country and U.S. State

Patent count by country and state based on the location information of first named inventors and of all inventors on the patent.

Country First Named Inventors All Inventors
United States of America 72 195
Sweden 1 3
South Korea 1 1
Netherlands 1 1
Australia 0 1
Italy 0 1
U.S. State First Named Inventors All Inventors
California 12 28
Maryland 6 18
New York 5 16
Washington 4 13
New Jersey 3 13
Arizona 3 11
Florida 3 10
Massachusetts 3 9
Idaho 3 6
Pennsylvania 3 6
North Carolina 2 7
Ohio 2 7
Texas 2 7
Michigan 2 6
Illinois 2 5
Virginia 2 4
Mississippi 2 3
Oregon 2 3
Hawaii 1 3
Iowa 1 3
Utah 1 3
Wisconsin 1 3
Delaware 1 2
Montana 1 2
Connecticut 1 1
District of Columbia 1 1
Kentucky 1 1
New Mexico 1 1
Oklahoma 1 1
Georgia 0 1
Nevada 0 1

Up to Start Of Table

Count of Assignees and Applicants by Country and U.S. State

Patent count by country and state based on location information of Assignees and Applicants.

Country Assignees Applicants
United States of America 760
Netherlands 10
Sweden 10
U.S. State Assignees Applicants
District of Columbia 260
California 80
New Jersey 60
New York 50
Washington 40
Illinois 30
Maryland 30
Massachusetts 30
North Carolina 20
Ohio 20
Texas 20
Utah 20
Connecticut 10
Hawaii 10
Idaho 10
Iowa 10
Michigan 10
Mississippi 10
Montana 10
Oklahoma 10
Pennsylvania 10
Wisconsin 10

Up to Start Of Table

Technology Center Explainer

How Tech Centers and Art Units Are Organized And Why It Matters

Patents travel from Technology Center to Art Unit to Group Art Unit to Patent Examiner.

The USPTO's patent corps is organized into Technology Centers (TCs), groups of patent examiners with specific scientific and technical domain expertise. Technology Centers are further divided into Art Units (AUs) organized by major types of inventive art within a scientific or technical domain. Art Units are organized into Group Art Units, even more specialized and granular teams of examiners.

Group Art Units (GAUs) are where patent examiners prosecute patent applications. Patent applications are docketed to examiners based on specific subject matter classifications of a particular GAU.

Understanding Technology Centers, Art Units, and Group Art Units helps you understand what type of inventions are being prosecuted within each scientific and technical domain, how long it takes from the date a patent application is filed to the time a final decision on the patentability of the invention is made.

Technology Centers and Art Units

Click or touch the accordion panel to open it and see the way different types of inventions are grouped together within Art Units.

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
1610 Organic Compounds: Bio-affecting, Body Treating, Drug Delivery, Steroids, Herbicides, Pesticides, Cosmetics, and Drugs
1620 Organic Chemistry
1630 Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Nucleic Acids, Recombinant DNA and RNA, Gene Regulation, Nucleic Acid Amplification, Animals and Plants, Combinatorial/ Computational Chemistry
1640 Immunology, Receptor/Ligands, Cytokines Recombinant Hormones, and Molecular Biology
1650 Fermentation, Microbiology, Isolated and Recombinant Proteins/Enzyme
1660 Plants

About Plant Patents

Plant Patents are granted to an inventor who has invented, or discovered and asexually reproduced a distinct and new variety of plant, other than a tuber propagated plant or a plant found in an uncultivated state. If you've ever eaten a pluot, you've enjoyed the fruit of a plant patent.

Plant patent numbers begin with a "PP" followed by a five digit number. The first Plant Patent was issued in 1931. Plant patents are valid for 20 years from the filing date.

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
1710 Coating, Etching, Cleaning, Single Crystal Growth
1720 Fuel Cells, Batteries, Solar Cells, Liquid Crystal Composition
1730 Metallurgy, Metal Working, Inorganic Chemistry, Catalysts, Electrophotography, Photolithography
1740 Tires, Adhesive Bonding, Glass/Paper making, Plastics Shaping & Molding
1760 Organic Chemistry, Polymers, Compositions
1770 Chemical Apparatus, Separation and Purification, Liquid and Gas Contact Apparatus
1780 Miscellaneous Articles, Stock Material, Adhesive Composition, Fabrics
1790 Food, Analytical Chemistry, Sterilization, Biochemistry, Electrochemistry

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
2110 Coating, Etching, Cleaning, Single Crystal Growth
2120 Miscellaneous Articles, Stock Material, Adhesive Composition, Fabrics
2130 Fuel Cells, Batteries, Solar Cells, Liquid Crystal Composition
2140/2170 Metallurgy, Metal Working, Inorganic Chemistry, Catalysts, Electrophotography, Photolithography
2150/2160 Tires, Adhesive Bonding, Glass/Paper making, Plastics Shaping & Molding
2180 Organic Chemistry, Polymers, Compositions
2190 Chemical Apparatus, Separation and Purification, Liquid and Gas Contact Apparatus

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
2410/2460/2470 Multiplex, VoIP
2420 Cable and Television
2430/2490 Cryptography and Security
2440/2450 Computer Networks
2480 Recording and Compression

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
2610 Computer Graphic Processing, 3D Animation, Display Color Attribute, Object Processing, Hardware and Memory
2620 Selective Visual Display Systems
2630 Digital and Optical Communications
2640 Telecommunications: Analog Radio Telephone; Satellite and Power Control; Transceivers, Measuring and Testing; Bluetooth; Receivers and Transmitters; Equipment Details
2650 Videophones and Telephonic Communications; Audio Signals; Digital Audio Data Processing; Linguistics, Speech Processing and Audio Compression
2660 Digital Cameras; Image Analysis; Applications; pattern Recognition; Color and Compression; Enhancement and Transformation
2670 Facsimile; Printer; Color; halftone; Scanner; Computer Graphic Processing; 3-D Animation; Display Color; Attributes; Object Processing; Hardware and Memory
2680 Telemetry and Code Generation; Vehicles and System Alarms; Selective Communication; Dynamic Storage Systems; Mechanical parts of Disk Drives; Signal Processing and Control Processing in Disk Drives
2690 Selective Visual Display Systems

More broadly TC 2800 Art Units cover Semiconductors/Memory, Circuits/Measuring and Testing, Optics/Photocopying, Printing/Measuring and Testing.

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
2810/2820/2890 Semiconductors/Memory
2830/2840 Electrical Circuits and Systems
2850/2860 Printing/Measuring and Testing
2870/2880 Optics

About Design Patents

The design FOR an article. Not to the design OF an article.

Patents examined here cover Design patents cover the appearance of an article. The design for an article consists of the visual characteristics embodied in or applied to an article. Since a design is manifested in appearance, the subject matter of a design patent application may relate to the configuration or shape of an article, to the surface ornamentation applied to an article, or to the combination of configuration and surface ornamentation.

Design is inseparable from the article to which it is applied and cannot exist alone merely as a scheme of surface ornamentation. It must be a definite, preconceived thing, capable of reproduction and not merely the chance result of a method.

Design patent numbers begin with a "D" followed by a six digit number. The first Design Patent was issued in 1843. The term of a design patent is 15 years measured from the date of grant, if the design application was filed on or after May 13, 2015 (or 14 years if filed before May 13, 2015).

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
3610 Surface Transportation
3620 Business Methods — Incentive Programs, Coupons; Operations Research; Electronic Shopping; Health Care; Point of Sale, Inventory, Accounting; Cost/Price, Reservations, Shipping and Transportation; Business Processing
3630 Static Structures, Supports and Furniture
3640 Aeronautics, Agriculture, Fishing, Trapping, Vermin Destroying, Plant and Animal Husbandry, Weaponry, Nuclear Systems, and License and Review
3650 Material and Article Handling
3660 Computerized Vehicle Controls and Navigation, Radio Wave, Optical and Acoustic Wave Communication, Robotics, and Nuclear Systems
3670 Wells, Earth Boring/Moving/Working, Excavating, Mining, Harvesters, Bridges, Roads, Petroleum, Closures, Connections, and Hardware
3680 Business Methods — Incentive Programs, Coupons; Electronic Shopping; Business Cryptography, Voting; Health Care; Point of Sale, Inventory, Accounting; Business Processing, Electronic Negotiation
3690 Business Methods — Finance/Banking/ Insurance

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
3710 Amusement and Education Devices
3720 Manufacturing Devices and Processes, Machine Tools and Hand Tools
3730 Sheet Container Making, Package Making, Receptacles, Shoes, Apparel, and Tool Driving or Impacting
3740 Thermal and Combustion Technology, Motive and Fluid Power Systems
3750 Fluid Handling and Dispensing
3760 Refrigeration, Vaporization, Ventilation, and Combustion
3770 Medical & Surgical Instruments, Treatment Devices, Surgery and Surgical Supplies
3780 Body Treatment, Kinestherapy, and Exercising

Patents examined here cover:

Art Unit Technical & Scientific Domains
3970 Express Abandonments
3990 Central Reexamination Unit

FedInvent Patents

Each week FedInvent analyzes newly granted patents and published patent applications whose origins lead back to funding from the US federal government. We assemble a weekly patent catalog and analyze the inventions, the inventors, and the entities who received the patents. We map the patents back to the agency that funded the R&D that led to the new invention. FedInvent uses the funding opportunity descriptions, the grants, and the contracts that define the research areas of interest, and the R&D policies and priorities of that drove and are driving the funding to organize each week's patents.

ABOUT OUR DATA

The weekly patent catalog includes patents with government interest statements indicating federal funding; and patents where the assignee, the owner of the invention, is the federal government. This includes work on federal grants, work on federal contracts, innovation by Federal Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) funded by Federal Departments and University Affiliated Research Centers funded by DoD.

Not every inventor is a government contractor. There are many inventions conceived and patented by scientists and engineers working for the federal government or serving in the military.

THE NUMBERS MAY NOT MATCH THE NUMBER OF PATENTS WE ANALYZE EACH WEEK

The numbers in the tables presented on this page will not add up to the number of patents granted each week because patents are counted by each agency that funded the creation of the invention. Patents and funding have a many-to-many relationship. One patent may have more than one funding grant or contract associated with it. A grant or contract may lead to more than one patent. More than one agency may have funded the inventors or the contract. More than one university or business may have worked together on an invention. When we report the numbers here, we associate a patent with all of the entities and funding that are reflected on the patent and report them to you. This approach presents a more complete picture of what's going on in the federal innovation ecosphere. Put another way, the numbers in the tables presented on this page may not always add up to the number of patents each week because patents are counted by each agency that funded the creation of the invention.

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