Global Patent Research and Alerts | Pearson Strategy Group, LLC

Helping businesses look before they leap. - TM

Steve Pearson

Mar 31

Can You Recognize Pitfalls Before They Happen?

It is important for every entrepreneur, investor and yes — inventor — to take one step back and look impartially at the risk factors associated with today’s great new idea before moving forward. And, once started, paying attention to challenges and negative feedback can make or break a project’s success. One of the most tragic recent examples occurred in Flint, Michigan, where its water supply is contaminated with lead, believed to be harming children’s developing brains and nervous systems.

Feb 22

Alien Technology and Some of it is Government Approved!

As it turns out the U.S. Patent Office has been looking out for us Earthlings by flagging “interesting” (substitute “suspicious” if you prefer) patent applications for some time. These applications are flagged because they appear to be dubious but it is possible that some are beyond humankind’s scientific knowledge. Perpetual motion machines commonly fall in this category. Applications claim to obtain energy without a prime mover (such as from a combustion engine) and use magnets or gravity or other sources. On the other hand, disrupting our current methods for producing energy is not a new idea and it would be incredibly lucrative.

Feb 16

PSG Newsletter For February 2016

2015 was a busy year at PSG and for our clients as well. I dropped in on technical conferences and workshops ranging from food innovations, Medium Voltage Motors, to the Chicago Toy Fair. I was also invited to speak to entrepreneurs at PeopleFund and Startup Law Austin. Plus, I added two new consultants to complement our business strategy services (details below). But, by far the most rewarding part of 2015 was seeing our clients use our research to move their businesses forward…before they invested large amounts of resources.

Jan 09

Could Copyrights Leave Patents out in the Cold?

I’ve noticed a recent trend that is worth consideration for some new ideas: Copyrights seem to be moving into the money-making spotlight. At the same time, there is less talk of patents as financial security.

Dec 09

3 Toy Trends I Can Predict Without Visiting the North Pole

With the help of some casual market research and my brand of Patent Analytics, I can paint a broad picture of patent activities around different toy families (dolls, trucks, music and the like) that may show up on a Christmas list for Santa soon.

Nov 03

Are You Stuck in 1975? The Way You Value Intellectual Property May Be

Mood rings were groovy, “Jaws” was playing at the movies and the Vietnam War was ending. It was 1975 and a new television show called Wheel of Fortune debuted its first spin. That wheel is still spinning and being stuck in 1975 must work for Pat and Vanna since they are still solving those puzzles and recording new shows today. Are you stuck in 1975, too? When you value your company, how much do you think your Intellectual Property is worth? When I talk to inventors, entrepreneurs and others, they often cite 15 or 20 percent, roughly the same as in 1975! And I was under the same mistaken impression until I read a new report.

Oct 15

Schrödinger’s Patent: The Paradox of When a Novel Idea is Really Patented

Can something be simultaneously alive and dead? This is the question posed in the famous thought experiment conducted by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. This same debate might also be applied to the many inventors, attorneys and companies involved in deciding when a novel idea is really (substitute “effectively” if you wish) confirmed as being novel. Why should I care? I’ve noticed that many people consider their idea to be “patented” as soon as their “provisional patent” (their terms) has been filed. A number of people are planning on getting a “world-wide patent” (again, their terms) something which does not exist.

Sep 14

5 Innovation Clues from Patent Analytics

Loyal readers (and anyone caught in an elevator with me) already know my passion for Patent Analysis. Inventors, entrepreneurs and other innovators should pay close attention as the process is low risk and the results are always educational. As a quick recap, Patent Analysis takes statistical advantage of the roughly 5 million patent applications and granted patents being published around the world annually

Aug 10

Playing Robot Games: What’s Ahead?

Did you catch the grand finale of the TV show “BattleBots”? I wouldn’t have missed those whirling, fire-spewing, armored fights to the death! These latest technology-infused games are a far cry from my 1970s era Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots® and the contrast got me thinking about where robots and entertainment are headed next. Let’s take a quick peek at the history of robotic entertainment to see whether it has fueled any innovation. Can we predict the future marketplace? (Hint: I think the key might be the level of human interaction.)

Jul 26

5 Ways Big Companies Stay Ahead of Their Competitors (Including You)

What do big companies have in their R&D toolbox that smaller companies often overlook? Competitive intelligence – what some might call snooping on the competition. Competitive intelligence research is a powerful strategy for any size company, so it pays to know more about your options. In the latest issue of Texas CEO Magazine, Steve Pearson, founder of The Pearson Strategy Group, reveals five strategies that can be used by companies of any size. He also explains how acting without research can open the door to poorly executed innovation, expensive strategy missteps, unrecovered R&D costs, risk or legal entanglements.