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Table of Contents
This Week's Patent News:
🧬 Hikma v. Amarin Moves Toward Supreme Court Review. The Supreme Court’s January docket highlights Hikma’s induced‑infringement dispute with Amarin, emerging as the most likely patent case to receive certiorari this term.
📡 Encryptawave Sues Sonos and Wyze Over Wireless‑Security. Encryptawave files infringement suits against Sonos and Wyze, alleging unauthorized use of its wireless‑network security patent, intensifying ongoing IP tensions in consumer tech.
⚖️ ITC Expects Heavy Patent‑Case Load Amid Backlogs and Policy Shifts. The US International Trade Commission anticipates a surge in patent disputes due to relaxed domestic‑industry rules and backlog from the 43‑day government shutdown.
🧪 Federal Circuit Reaffirms Limits on Appealing Bond Orders. The Federal Circuit rules that bond orders in patent cases—despite financial impact—are not immediately appealable, reinforcing strict boundaries on interlocutory review.
📺 Nokia and Hisense Sign Patent License, Ending Global Litigation. Nokia and Hisense finalize a multi‑year license for video‑technology patents, resolving all related litigation and marking Nokia’s first licensing deal with the TV manufacturer.
New weekly USPTO Patents data have been added.
Cited by Wikipedia as a comprehensive source for global prolific inventors.
Top Attorneys:
Sughrue Mion- 101
FOLEY & LARDNER - 96
Fish & Richardson - 95
MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS - 80
Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & B.. - 78
Oblon, McClelland, Maier &.. - 74
CANTOR COLBURN - 66
Kilpatrick Townsend & S..- 62
HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE - 62
Womble Bond Dickinson - 61
Knobbe, Martens, Olson & B.. - 58
JCIPRNET - 56
Oliff - 49
XSENSUS - 47
Dority & Manning - 43
🎉 Historic milestone in American innovation
Today, Howard Lutnick, United States Secretary of Commerce, was granted his 500th U.S. patent — a rare achievement that puts him in truly elite company.
500 patents. One inventor. One relentless commitment to innovation. 🚀
Want your company featured to 48,000 plus innovation-minded readers? Sponsor an IDiyas story. Reply ‘Sponsor’ for details.
💈The Twisted Tale of the Barber Pole: Bloodletting, Patriotism, and a Spinning Legacy
When you see a red, white, and blue barber pole spinning outside a shop, you probably think “haircut.” But this iconic cylinder has a far bloodier history.
Back in the Middle Ages, barbers were "surgeons of the people," performing minor surgeries, extracting teeth, and, most famously, bloodletting. Patients would grip a white staff to make their veins stand out; afterward, red-stained bandages were wrapped around the pole to dry. In the wind, these bandages would twist, creating the spiral we recognize today.
While European poles often remained red and white, the American version added blue, some say to represent venous blood, others as a patriotic nod to the flag.
The modern twist came in the early 20th century. In 1915, innovators like Walter F. Koken began patenting motorized, illuminated versions. This gave the illusion of an endlessly flowing helix, turning a gruesome surgical symbol into a high-visibility marketing tool.
In 1936, William Marvy founded his namesake company, but it was in 1950 that he truly revolutionized the industry. By introducing rustproof aluminum and shatterproof Lucite, Marvy’s poles survived the elements far better than the fragile glass models of the past. To date, the William Marvy Company has produced over 82,000 poles, many of which still spin today.
What began as a grim sign of medieval medicine is now an enduring symbol of a much gentler service: a clean cut and a good conversation.
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Trivia
What iconic office product was invented by Spencer Silver and Arthur Fry at 3M?
A) Scotch Tape
B) Post-it Notes
C) Correction Fluid
D) Highlighters
Please scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to find out.
Featured Inventor
Hon Lik’s Smokeless Revolution: The Birth of the E-Cigarette
In the early 2000s, a heavy-smoking Chinese pharmacist named Hon Lik (韩力) faced a tragedy that would change nicotine forever. His father died of lung cancer, and Lik, still struggling with his own addiction, turned grief into invention. Determined to find a safer alternative to smoking, he began experimenting in his Shenyang apartment with a dream: to simulate the sensation of smoking without the smoke.
In 2003, Lik achieved it. Using his knowledge of ultrasonic technology, he created a handheld device that vaporized a nicotine-infused liquid into a fine mist, delivering flavor and satisfaction without combustion.
He patented it as an electronic atomization cigarette (CN1761057A). A year later, his company Golden Dragon Holdings (later renamed Ruyan, meaning like smoke) launched the world’s first commercial e-cigarette in China.
The invention spread globally within years, hailed as a breakthrough in harm reduction and condemned as a new addiction. But regardless of the debate, Lik’s innovation reshaped a centuries-old habit. It marked the beginning of a $20-billion industry that would spawn an entire culture of vaping, pods, and clouds, all rooted in one man’s loss and hope.
Hon Lik didn’t just invent a product; he ignited a movement that challenged tobacco itself. His story is a reminder that innovation often begins in pain, and sometimes, the most disruptive ideas rise from the smoke.
Today in Patent History
🚗 Innovation isn’t always visible, sometimes it’s built into the frame.
On January 13, 1942, Henry Ford was granted a U.S. patent for an automobile chassis construction, underscoring that his influence extended far beyond assembly lines. While Ford is best known for revolutionizing mass production, this patent highlights his continued focus on the vehicle’s foundation. The chassis, largely unseen supports the engine, body, and passengers, and determines durability, safety, and performance. At a time when automobiles were becoming essential infrastructure, Ford focused on making them stronger, simpler, and easier to manufacture. The invention is a reminder that lasting innovation often happens beneath the surface, improving the systems people rely on every day without ever noticing.
U.S. Patent No. 2,269,452
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Centurion Patentors
Congratulations to last week's Centurion Patentors! |
The Centurion Patentors are 0.185% of ALL Inventors worldwide who hold more than one hundred U.S. patents. They are the Navy SEALs of innovation. They don’t just have good ideas once; they’ve built a discipline, a repeatable process for turning thought into impact. |
We are excited to welcome the following inventors into these prestigious patent clubs: |
Trivia
Answer: B) Post-it Notes ✅
📒 Silver created the weak adhesive; Fry found its perfect use marking his church hymnal pages.
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