Examples of Patents
More than 50 Examples of Patents for Innovative Inventions
Examples of patents are a very useful source of inspiration, especially when defining strategies to protect ideas and inventions. Before delving into the analysis of examples of ideas that have been successfully patented, there is a big myth you should be aware of:
“Registering an idea at the patent office, obtaining a patent title or any certificate of ownership of an idea, is very easy. The truly difficult and expensive part is defending a patent when it has been copied.” Erick Remedios
At Let’s Prototype, we take care of industrial design and manufacturing functional prototypes for entrepreneurs, inventors, and companies that are committed to launching innovative products to the market.
Patents are a key tool for ensuring that ideas have protection that guarantees the ownership of the invention and grants exclusive rights to inventors over their inventions.
With these documented patent examples, we aim to help you identify common denominators of successful patents, patents from our invention factory that are successfully positioning themselves in the market.
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Examples of IoT invention patents
When we talk about IoT products, we refer to devices that have the ability to capture data from an environment through sensors, as well as the ability to send data to the cloud in a structured way. This data is then interpreted by machines or humans to make common decisions in everyday life.
Around the examples of IoT product patents, there are common mistakes that lead to failure in the intellectual property protection strategy of inventors.
Due to the nature of IoT products, according to the previous definition, they are usually products that already exist, that are already in use, but are equipped with IoT capability to improve people's lives.
For example, if we add a layer of sensors capable of sending data about weather conditions to a simple garden irrigation system, allowing it to automatically adjust the amount of water and set the watering schedules, we have an IoT innovation.
In contrast: the irrigation system already exists, the water is the same, and the method of spraying water over the garden remains unchanged.
What can be patented in an IoT product?
The correct approach, in most examples of innovative IoT products, is to protect a method of operation, arguing the improvements it brings to a conventional process, such as garden or crop irrigation. The source code cannot be patented, nor can existing elements. Therefore, in this example, the patent should focus on protecting an innovative method.
Let's look at the following device patent examples. You will see decisions that, in our opinion and experience, were successful in the method of protecting inventions, while in other cases, especially with some individual inventors, we believe it was a mistake to choose the utility model.
Case 01: Device for detecting dirt in desalination plants.
The Acciona group, specifically the Acciona Agua division, is one of the world leaders in the implementation and management of desalination plants. This Spanish company not only leads nationally but also has a significant impact in other countries.
The water desalination process is based on the principles of reverse osmosis, which, as is well known, is a procedure that generates large amounts of waste. Poor management or delayed detection of the waste from the osmosis process jeopardizes the membranes, which are undoubtedly one of the most expensive elements in these plants.
In order to implement corrective measures with sufficient time, a tool has been developed, equipped with sensors and the ability to communicate structured information, to then take manual or automatic actions that allow the isolation of risks.
Patent Registration: WO 2016/181000 A1
Case 02. Cane with smart communication system.
As we know, there are different methods to protect an idea or innovative product. In Spain, due to its ease of acquisition and low prices, the use of the Utility Model has become increasingly common to protect initiatives with seemingly low innovation content.
In this Utility Model example, the goal is to protect a cane, with geometry very similar to those commonly used for walking in rural areas, equipping this device with a smart communication system, useful for alerting family and friends of potential events that pose a risk to the person using the device.
This utility model corresponds to an IoT example, due to its ability to capture data from what happens in an environment, through sensors that somehow manage to send data to the cloud, where it is processed and displayed to the user through a user-friendly interface, so they can use it as they see fit.
Utility Model Application: 202230948
Case 03. Light and sound device for early alerts
The safety of cyclists in common environments, where they share the road with motor vehicles, is a topic of great concern worldwide. There are many entrepreneurs in Spain and around the world who have conceived road safety projects to prevent the dramatic accidents that many cyclists face globally.
In addition to this specific problem, it must be acknowledged that the road safety industry is a vertical with a significant volume of patented invention examples, aimed at reducing the risks faced on the road.
In this invention patent example, it is an innovative system that, based on telecommunications principles and IoT technologies, is capable of autonomously detecting accidents involving the cyclist, while communicating the event to a receiver with broadcasting capability, to amplify the announcement of the incident to motor vehicles within the risk radius of the accident location.
The incorporation of IoT technology in this invention represents a significant advantage in emergency protocol response systems, aimed at preserving and protecting the lives of individuals who have suffered an accident, while also obtaining clear information about the responsible parties, among other data that can be structured and managed in the cloud.
Patent Registration: ES1226089Y
Case 04. Automatic stock control system based on weight
In this invention, the inventors and their intellectual property advisors decided to register a Utility Model instead of a patent. At Let’s Prototype, the mission with this utility model example was to build an IoT prototype useful for stock management in a supermarket, relying on the collection, recording, and management of weight data for the products.
The invention example consisted of converting a merchandise support shelf into a live scale through a custom mechanical system and integrated electronic components. This system was capable of continuously communicating the accumulated stable weight to a computer system. By knowing the net weight of each product, stock could be managed on each shelf. The information came from sensors in the capture stage (the scale in the warehouse, integrated into the shelf), and then automatically sent the data to the cloud. In this cloud, a software was deployed that could issue various alerts to the warehouse or market managers.
This invention example, with Utility Model registration, is a clear example of the value that IoT products can bring to different industries. In this case, by saving travel costs for continuous check-ups, it avoids human errors in control and allows the parametrization of logic based on the analysis of structured data, thus improving the purchasing system according to stock management trends, an activity that largely defines the success or failure of a market in Spain.
Example Utility Model Registration: ES1299488Y
Case 05. Example of a mobile app and linked IoT device for churches.
It is true that obtaining a patent of invention, in some cases, can represent a real barrier to entry and have a positive impact on the value of the business you intend to start.
"Patents, yes, but only when they are necessary."
This is stated by our business director, Erick Remedios, to almost all inventors in Spain who come to Let’s Prototype, confident they need a patent, without having “invented the invention.”
The case of this device and example of an app for controlling a proprietary IoT device, is a clear example of an invention without a patent that bases its success on the speed of market penetration.
It is a physical candelabra, capable of being illuminated through its light points, aesthetically resembling conventional candles, through donations made by users from their mobile phones. This IoT device allows religious people and those with faith to exercise their right and desire to offer a point of light to any virgin, anywhere in the world, as long as these smart candelabras are installed.
This example of an innovative invention without a patent has continued to be successful and gain followers despite not having its intellectual property protected in the Spanish patent office. Specifically, it has tens of thousands of followers who frequently use its IoT systems.
Examples of Toy Patents
Spain and the United States hold prominent positions in terms of toy inventions that have become examples of patents in the leisure industry. Due to proximity and years of experience, we will choose some examples of patents for children's toys invented in Spain, which, coincidentally, have their origins in toy patents from the United States.
No! The identified patents have not been chosen by chance. A very serious yet common mistake made by many inventors is thinking that if there are prior art of an invention, the idea cannot be patented. This is completely false. Inventions with progressive innovation or evolutionary innovation can also be patented. It is not necessary to resort to types of patents with limited protection, such as Utility Models.
If you have an invention that needs to be patented, it is advisable to opt for protection methods recognized in the most reputable countries in intellectual property matters.
Case 01. Modular Toy Patent
La empresa archiconocida por todos, Imaginarium, patentó un juguete que pretende motivar la creatividad de los niños, mientras se divierten. El invento de juguete patentado, consiste en un sistema de piezas, ensamblables, útiles para conformar objetos, figuras y todo lo que pasara por la mente de los niños.
Seguramente están pensando en la empresa Lego y sus patentes de juguetes más famosas. En palabras de nuestro director de negocios, Erick Remedios, “la estrategia de redacción de una patente, marca su éxito. Es fácil conseguir una patente, pero muy complicado defenderla”
Veamos la principal diferencia entre la patente española de juguete y las patentes de Lego. Existen 5 diferencias clave entre esta patentes de ocio infantil:
Mecanismo de ensamblaje: Lego en sus patentes de juguetes, proponían un sistema de adhesión de piezas mediante la unión de pines y huecos justos, que permitían un resultado de conexión bastante rígido. Por el contrario, los inventores españoles patentan un sistema de adhesión flexible, sin necesidad de encajes. Alegando así, que esta diferencia permitía potenciar la imaginación y flexibilidad en el pensamiento a la hora de jugar.
Registro de Patente: ES 2252297 B1
Caso 02. Muñeco con mecanismo de movimiento.
If you read the name of the company inventing dolls with movement mechanisms, nothing might come to mind. But if we talk about patented toys like Nenuco and Barriguitas, you're probably much more familiar.
The company Famosa decided to file a toy patent, with the main claim of the patent of invention being the mechanical systems that allow flexibility in the joints of their toy designs. These patented mechanisms provided greater realism to the toys and maximized children's fun.
If you are a patent expert, you are probably remembering the Action Figure Toy patent, which was filed before the birth of its successful toy design: G.I. Joe.
The main difference between the Spanish patent protecting toys such as Nenuco and Barriguita, compared to its patent predecessor for the G.I. Joe toy, was based on the support of the mechanical system that allows the movement of the toy joints. In the case of the Spanish toy registration, an internal mechanical system was claimed, which facilitated the movement of the joints, whereas the American patent only protected an assembly of parts, allowing the movement of the toy limbs, conditioned by the shapes that the child using them desired to create.
Patent Registration: ES 2271107 B1
Case 03. Portable goal for children.
From a very young age, children in Spain have a strong motivation to practice football as the star sport. Parents are usually the ones who create goals and act as the goalkeeper, adapting the difficulty level according to the child's age. Based on these premises, at Let’s Prototype, we have designed a prototype and subsequently, manufactured an innovative product that allows, through a portable goal and an electronic module, the management of movements of a figure similar to that of a goalkeeper, so children can enjoy this practice. In this toy patent example, the main claims were based on the electromechanical system, as well as the ability to manage movements based on the necessary complexity level to keep the children engaged with the toy.
Patent Application: ES202032179
Examples of Telecommunications Patents
The telecommunications industry has been a very visible stage for the advancement of science and humanity. The need for communication between humans has grown to the point where we now need to communicate objects and enable them to make decisions.
The democratization of voice telephony, followed by the need to expand data transmission flows, and the recent IoT technology revolution, have kept entrepreneurs, inventors, and companies of all sizes in a continuous cycle of innovation that has led to thousands of patents. Below are some examples of patents that have been relevant in this industry.
A key denominator in invention patents in the telecommunications industry is that most patentable inventions are methods that provide a solution. Therefore, it is a statement: methods can be patented, as long as they provide a differential value and the way to achieve the results is substantially different from existing methods.
In the case that the method to be patented requires a software product to execute its functions, it should not be confused with a software patent. The claims should focus on the unique and innovative details of the method, which will be the true basis of the patent.
Case 01. Multiband antennas based on fractal geometries.
Fractus is the Catalan company that first developed the well-known antennas based on fractal technologies. You probably remember the old mobile phones, with awkward geometries, precisely because of the need to expose antennas that maintained coverage for these devices. The multiband antenna technology, based on fractal geometries, represented a true revolution in the telecommunications world. With the appearance of this patent example, mobile phones, car radios, and other signal-based devices changed forever.
According to the founders of Fractus, now holders of over 90 patents, all with protection in the United States, despite being a Catalan company, the story was bittersweet. Fortunately, some very good decisions in the patent registration process turned Fractus' invention ideas into a company with multimillion-dollar agreements for the right
Caso 02. Transmisión de Información Digital a Través de Líneas Telefónicas.
Although the internet was officially invented in the early 1960s, it wasn't until the 1980s that it began to democratize. In the democratization of the internet, much of the credit goes to the patent registration example presented by the American company AT&T. In their design and product development team, they were able to use conventional telephone lines to transmit data. This discovery allowed users to start finding utility in broadband internet connections.
Case 03. Multiple access by code division.
It cannot be talked about the democratization of the internet and the most influential patents in telecommunications without mentioning the American company Qualcomm.
If you are like me, not so young, you probably remember how, at times, when we spoke on the phone, call interruptions were common. In the middle of a conversation, a third person could appear, unknown, and listen to the conversation. These accidental phenomena were closely related to the saturation of the telecommunications towers, as well as the underdeveloped technology in the systems for selecting participating points in a call.
Yes! You are probably thinking about how this great conflict would occur with the use of the internet. For example, making a search and it appearing on the neighbor's computer, who also communicates with the network through the same physical telecommunications infrastructure.
The invention patents of Qualcomm proposed a much more efficient system, using code division, useful for protecting communications from incidents as dangerous as those mentioned earlier.
Case 04. Method and Apparatus for Network Segmentation in 5G Networks
You have probably already heard about the technological advancements in telecommunications proposed by Huawei. The advancements we enjoy from any device capable of managing 5G communications are also no secret.
In the Huawei patent titled: Method and device for network segmentation in 5G networks, the functional objectives were closely related to the previous patent example. In an environment where networks are so congested, and the user values connection quality so critically, a channel segmentation approach was essential. The Huawei invention consists of a kind of division of the 5G network into usage categories. For example, one channel for mobile devices, another for specific applications with high connectivity demand, another for cars connected to the internet, and so on, to improve the quality and efficiency of device communications.
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