Indiana Inventors Association

[Thanks to Dave Zedonis for reporting this event]   Wes Bickers (account executive for the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc. ) and Dave Zedonis (president of the Indiana Inventors Association) began to explore the possibility that inventors and the Smart Partners Alliance might collaborate for mutual benefit. The Indiana State Use Program is a public/private partnership, operated by the Smart Partners Alliance, that trains and employs disabled Indiana residents.  The Program encourages Indiana governments (state, county, and other) to buy (without competitive bidding) products and services from community rehabilitation programs that employ Hoosiers with disabilities.  Participating disabled people gain an increased sense of self-worth, more economic independence, and inclusion in society.  Indiana governments gain more taxes and pay out less public assistance. Inventors might also benefit from this Program.  Participating employers are eager for more

[Thanks to Dave Zedonis for reporting this event.] For 40 years, David Woll (Woll Enterprises, Inc., davidwoll1948@gmail.com , 317.727.1577) has mentored, advised, and raised funds for new and young companies. He suggested ways for an inventor interested in starting a company to raise and use funds. First, develop materials that will help persuade people to invest in your company. Make a prototype of your invention, so people can experience it.   File a provisional application for a patent, to start the process of protecting an investment in your invention.   Socialize your budding company with the business community (angel investors, attorneys and patent agents, bank loan officers, distributors, marketers, manufacturers, salespeople, technical advisors, etc.) and keep a record of those relationships that you can show people, as an indication that your company can operate successfully.   Write an executive summary of your business plan , to show that your company will

[Thanks to Dave Zedonis for reporting this presentation.] Michael Stokes (CEO and founder, Waveform Communication ) told us about his new model for using waveforms (visualized electronic patterns) to identify vowels.   Machines based on his model may make it easier for listeners (animate and inanimate) to hear spoken vowels.   Potential commercial applications include more accurate systems for dictation and for voice‑activated electronic searches, hearing aids that provide clearer hearing, and broadcasts that persuade whales and other animals to avoid dangerous areas. The Kaufman Foundation named Mr. Stokes’ company, Waveform Communication (located in the Purdue Technology Center of Indianapolis ), as one of the top 50 startups worldwide in 2011.   Participating in Startup Weekend helped Mr. Stokes to acquire funds from an angel investor, a better business plan, helpful professional contacts, and an appreciation of the 60-second marketing pitch.   More information about

(Thanks to Dave Zedonis for reporting this presentation.) Mr. Cedric D’Hue (patent attorney with Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP; 317-635-8900; cdhue@bgdlegal.com ) discussed the recently passed America Invents Act . The Act is a step toward creating a single worldwide system of patent law that would simplify and decrease the cost of getting and enforcing a patent.  Among other things, the Act specifies a new requirement for getting a patent from the United States government.  Now, a patent is awarded, by the U.S. to the first inventor of an invention who within a reasonable time applies for a patent, and by almost all other countries to the inventor of an invention who first applies for a patent.  The U.S. now awards a patent to an inventor who is the first to document imagining the invention and who diligently embodies the invention, either as a working model or as a patent application that alleges that the invention works as intended.  As of March 2013, the U.S. will join al

(Thanks to Dave Zedonis for summarizing this event.) Members met to discuss how they are adapting to the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (9/16/2011), which imposes the biggest change to U.S. patent law in almost 60 years. One provision of the Act takes away the long-standing American right of the first inventor of an invention to claim patent protection for the invention.  Now, in keeping with long-standing European law, an inventor (1 st or 1001 st ) who first applies for a patent has the right to claim the patent. One strategy for adapting to this change is to file a series of provisional applications as you gradually develop your utility invention.  Doing so gives you a particular file date for each inventive increment of an invention.  Then, within 1 year of filing your first provisional application, file a nonprovisional application that incorporates the previously filed provisional applications.  Within that 1 year, you may sell, test, or test market the inventio