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Category: Invention Geek Answers

Invention Geek – Progressive Insurance?

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Question from Margot L.:
I recently saw a Progressive Insurance commercial about a new discount program. The commercial stated that the program was patented. Is that true?
-Margot L.

I have also seen this commercial and yes, the program is patented. The commercial is referring to Progressive Insurance’s Snapshot discount program. The program bases customer rates on the number of miles and time of day driven and how often sudden stops are made. A device which connects to a cars computer sends information to the company to determine the rates.

Progressive has received a few patents for the methods and systems used in this program. United States Patent 5,797,134 was issued to Progressive Casualty Insurance Company on August 18, 1998 for a motor vehicle monitoring system for determining a cost of insurance. The company also received United States Patent 6,064,970 on May 16, 2000 for Motor vehicle monitoring system for determining a cost of insurance. Then on March 15, 2005, United States Patent 6,868,386 was issued for a monitoring system for determining and communicating a cost of insurance.

Invention Geek – Chester Greenwood?

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Question from Mike:
What was the teakettle that Chester Greenwood invented and patented, and are there any pictures of it?
-Mike

Chester Greenwood received US Patent 1,716,124 on June 4, 1929 for a teakettle. Greenwood’s teakettle had a circular bottom edge and a leg that extended horizontally underneath the spout. The bottom edge of a regular teakettle often wears underneath the spout from being tilted to pour. The leg on Greenwood’s teakettle supported the kettle when tilted reducing the wear of the bottom of the kettle.

View Chester Greenwood’s Patent.

Invention Geek – Reissued Patent?

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Question from Keith S.:
Why do patents get reissued?
-Keith S.

Patents can be reissued for a number of errors. The original error must have been an accident or mistake. The error must not have been intentional or purposely deceptive. Errors which can be corrected by reissuing a patent include defective drawings or specifications, improperly referenced documents and claims which are either too broad or too narrow.

Patent claims which are too narrow may not provide all of the protection which is entitled. Broad claims can invalidate a patent. To broaden the claims of a patent, the reissue application must be filed within two years of the date the patent was granted. An application to narrow the claims may be filed at any time before the expiration of the patent. A reissued patent does not change the expiration. The patent still expires twenty years after the original granted date.

Invention Geek – Patent Pending?

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Question from C. George:
Who gets the right to put “patent pending” on a product? Do they have to file a patent application first or what?
-C. George

The term “patent pending” may be used by a manufacturer to indicate that a patent for the product has been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This statement has no legal implication as the protection provided by a patent does not actually begin until the patent is granted. Basically, “patent pending” serves as a warning that duplicating the product could result in being liable for damages and possible legal action if and when a patent is issued.

Falsely using the term “patent pending” can result in a fine for deceiving the public. A fine of up to $500 can be sought for each usage of “patent pending” when no application has been filed.

Invention Geek – When Did Li Tian Die?

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Question from Michael.:
When did Li Tian die?
-Michael

Hi Michael –

I’m assuming you mean Li Tian, the monk who is most widely credited as the inventor of fireworks. I have to admit, you almost had me stumped on this one, but again, perseverance (or should I say need-to-know stubbornness) prevailed!

Some deeper research into the invention of fireworks led me to discover Li Tian, the inventor of fireworks, apparently lived from 601 AD to 690 AD. This was during the reign of Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin), first emperor of the Tang Dynasty. As the most popular legend goes, the Emperor’s prime minister had been haunted by the ghost of an evil dragon and Li Tian’s fireworks helped scare away the evil spirit.

What’s really interesting to me is the fact that these dates contradict some widely circulated information that Li Tian unveiled his invention during the Song Dynasty in the 10th century. But, knowing the legend includes the Emperor Taizong, and having historical record of his reign during the early half of the 7th century (he ruled from 621 until his death in 649 AD ), we know this simply cannot be true.

My best guess is the confusion comes from the fact that a temple in Li Tian’s honor was built in his home region during the Song Dynasty and somewhere along the lines this was mistranslated into being the time that he also lived.

More research into Li Tian’s hometown, the temple, and a local fireworks museum helped me confirm the facts. In the process, I also confirmed that April 18, a day where offerings are made to Li Tian and fireworks are set off in his honor, is purported to be the clever monk’s birthday.

Cheers to you, Michael! This was a tough one but it got me digging deeper into both the legend and the truth about fireworks!

Great question, hope you enjoyed the answer as much as I enjoyed seeking it out!

_tG

Ask the Geek, Get a Free Patent Mug

That’s right, if your question is chosen to be featured in our weekly “Invention Geek” column, we’ll send you a free one-of-a-kind patent mug custom pressed with a picture from your invention and the title of Honorary Invention Geek.

Got a pressing question about innovation history? Jump over to Ask the Invention Geek for details & an easy entry form!

Invention Geek – First Email?

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Question from Sarah W.:
When was the first email sent?
-Sarah

Ray Tomlinson sent the first email in 1971. The message was sent from one Digital Equipment Corporation DEC-10 computer to another Digital Equipment Corporation DEC-10 computer which was sitting right beside it. The computers however were not connected directly to one another. The message was sent via ARPANET which was a way of networking computers used prior to the internet.

The content of the first message has been forgotten. The message was sent using the @ sign. The @ sign separated the users login name and the name of the host computer.

Today about 294 billion email message are sent each day.

Invention Geek – Hula Hoop?

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Question from Heather W.:
I just love the hula-hoop. Was there ever a patent for this great game?
-Heather

Hula Hoop ad,

Hula Hoop ad,via PatentPlaques on Pinterest

Hooping is an ancient form of entertainment with no one person or company actually able to claim they invented the first hula hoop. But, Richard Knerr and Arthur “Spud” Melin of the Wham-O company did reinvent the Hula Hoop in 1958 after hearing how much children in Australia enjoyed playing with bamboo hoops.

Wham-O designed and marketed a bright colored hoop made of a type of plastic called Marlex. On May 13, 1959, Arthur K. Melin applied for a patent for his hoop. He received U.S. Patent Number 3,079,728 on March 5, 1963 for a Hoop Toy.

Knerr and Melin promoted the toy on playgrounds in Southern California. They even gave away free hoops to children. Soon the Hula Hop turned into a fad. Within its first four months on the market, more than 25 million Hula Hoops had been sold at $1.98 each.

View the patent for the Hula Hoop here.

The Invention Geeks Answers: Who Invented the Safety Pin?

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Question from Mary B.:
When was the safety pin invented? Was it patented?
-Mary

Walter Hunt's Safety Pin Patent, Apr 10, 1949

Walter Hunt's Safety Pin Patent, Apr 10, 1949

Great question, Mary!

Walter Hunt received US patent #6,281 on April 10, 1849 for a Dress-Pin.

Interestingly enough, Hunt only invented the safety pin to pay off a debt. He had be fiddling with some wire trying to think of a new idea when he made the safety pin. The first pin was an eight-inch piece of brass wire, coiled at the center.

He sold the patent rights for four hundred dollars to pay off his debt, then spent the rest of his life watching others profit from his idea.

The safety pin was one of a few useful objects Hunt patented. His other inventions included a flax spinner, a street car bell, a knife sharpener and a sewing machine. Unfortunately, as well as any of them worked, Hunt never turned much of a profit for himself.

Ask the Geek, Get a Free Patent Mug

That’s right, if your question is chosen to be featured in our weekly “Invention Geek” column, we’ll send you a free one-of-a-kind patent mug custom pressed with a picture from your invention and the title of Honorary Invention Geek.

Got a pressing question about innovation history? Jump over to Ask the Invention Geek for details & an easy entry form!

Invention Geek – Pretzels?

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Question from Paul T.:
Pretzels are a great snack to eat while watching the big game. Who invented the pretzel?
-Paul

The origin of soft pretzels can be traced to a frustrated teacher in Northern Italy. In 610, a monk was baking unleavened bread for Lent. The monk decided to use some of the left over dough to reward children for learning their prayers. He rolled the extra dough into ropes and then twisted it to look like praying hands. He then baked his treats. The monk named his snack “pretiola”, Latin for “little reward”. The treats were a hit with both his students and their parents. Today, 1400 years later, we are still munching on snacks that are a variety of this original idea.

Invention Geek – First Traffic Light?

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Question from Josie K.:
When was the first traffic light installed?
-Josie

Hello Josie.

The first traffic light was built in front of the British House of Parliament in 1868. Even though there were not yet cars on the road, the horses and pedestrians caused chaos on the streets of London. The light was proposed by John Peake Knight, a railroad engineer. He modeled the traffic control after the system used by the British railroad. An arm was moved up or down by policeman to signal whether traffic should stop or go. The arms could not be seen at night so the signal was changed to using red and green gas lamps.

The traffic light was an instant success, helping to relieve congestion problems on Bridge Street in London. Knight foresaw more of these lights being built on intersections throughout the city. Instead, the use of the first light was ended after an accident. A leaking gas main caused one of the gas lamps to explode. The police officer operating the device was badly burnt. Traffic lights would not be used again until fifty years later in the United States.