Clouds Part. Suddenly, Vision is Much Clearer

The process of researching a new report requires me to read through the set of patent filings from a single company - actually a single design team - in a short period of time. The filing history goes back into the latter half of the 90's and ends in the current half of the naughts. It is interesting watching the evolution of the approach moving from design point applications of technology and becoming more general as the actual patents are granted.

During this process I had the strong sense that I was looking over the shoulders of a set of designers undertaking to solve a set of problems over an extended period and seeing the evolution of their understanding of the problem and solution spaces. The application titles referred to measuring light levels at specific public locations as an example of a very specific point solution.

Without getting to deeply into the specifics of the company and technologies involved - this activity is after all in support of a new product - the reaction when I expressed the above opinion to the companies industry competitors the reaction was less than positive. "It's all very obvious don't you know." I was very curious about what I would hear when I finally had a chance to speak with one of the principals from the group.

Again, not getting too deeply into the details, the company was organized to perform outsourced product development for a largish multinational technology manufacturer. The work that led to the patent filings I am reading also led to actual products that are in the marketplace today.

Unfortunately, there are a number of hot new startups of the opinion that their revolutionary ideas are new and unique. Bummer. Should have done some competitive research and maybe considered a licensing agreement before coming to market.