Subject:
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Re: Lego patents
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 27 Dec 2001 18:37:38 GMT
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Viewed:
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519 times
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> In lugnet.robotics, John Kozma writes:
> I will be teaching a course on Information Technology Law in the Computer
> Science Department at the College of Charleston next semester. Having
> recently purchased (mainly for my own entertainment) a Lego Mindstorms
> Robotics Invention kit, it occurred to me that it might be a useful tool for
> illustrating the structure and drafting of patent claims. (After all, the
> name of the kit does have "invention" in it!)
> I have looked for patents that expressly include the term Lego on the USPTO
> website. Most involve references to stackable or interlocking elements, and
> cite Lego as an example of the concept. Quite a few are for Legos or
> similar toys. I haven't found any yet that actually involve using Legos to
> reduce an invention to practice.
Just be sure that in your class you refer to them as "LEGO bricks" and not
LEGOs. To do so would be doing your students a disservice. :)
> Two questions:
>
> 1. Anyone know of any patents wherein the invention has been reduced to
> practice using Legos?
This question isn't clear to me. Are you asking if someone can obtain a
patent (or at least build a prototype) using LEGO bricks, and does this
affect the patent claim? Perhaps you could reword your question a bit.
> 2. Have any of you created Lego projects, or know of any, that might be
> patentable?
A 'patent' by definition is typically obtainable only when a person or
company has designed a new device or mechanism. Examples? The stud and
tube interlocking mechanism of the original LEGO bricks are one example.
The particular clicking action of a computer mouse might be another. But
you have to create some mechanical or chemical system which has effectively
never been produced before. Silly putty... another example.
By simply creating a LEGO project, you are not expanding the device used to
make the basic bricks, upon which someone else already has a patent. You
*might* be able to obtain a copyright on your design, or trademark the name
of the company under which you intend to sell your creations, but you can't
really patent a LEGO project, unless I misunderstand your question.
How about an after market product? Elsewhere in this thread there is
mention of some fellow making Mindstorms add-ons. This *may* be something
that could obtain a patent, since a new device or system may have been
created. An example of this? You could produce a revolutionary new type of
belt sheath for Swiss Army Knives. Since the knives are already patented,
you would only be able to obtain a patent on your sheath in particular.
If, in reality, your questions are about using Mindstorms as a teaching
device in class, then I really don't see a problem. I could teach a
survival course using Swiss Army Knives as teaching tools, without having to
worry about patent infringement.
I don't know if I've provided any useful information or not, but I hope
something above helps.
Best regards,
Allan B.
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Lego patents
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| (...) Actually, the distinction is simple... the legos are what is used to implement the invention -- the patent would surely not claim that the invention is due to the legos and is confined to existing only when implemented with legos. With that (...) (23 years ago, 27-Dec-01, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: Lego patents
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| (...) That can't be true. You are saying that you couldn't patent a machine because it's made from standard parts? People patent electronic devices made from off-the-shelf logic chips all the time. I don't see any legal reason why a Lego machine (...) (23 years ago, 27-Dec-01, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Lego patents
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| I will be teaching a course on Information Technology Law in the Computer Science Department at the College of Charleston next semester. Having recently purchased (mainly for my own entertainment) a Lego Mindstorms Robotics Invention kit, it (...) (23 years ago, 22-Dec-01, to lugnet.robotics)
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