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Table of Contents

• This Week's Patent News

• Weekly Statistics

• Main Article

• Trivia (question)

• Featured Inventor

• Today in Patent History

• Centurion Patentors

• Trivia (answer)

This Week's Patent News:

1. Illumina Sues Element Biosciences – Illumina has filed a lawsuit against Element Biosciences, alleging infringement of five patents related to flow cell and imaging technologies used in genetic sequencing. The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

2. 10x Genomics Settles Patent Lawsuits with Bruker and Vizgen – 10x Genomics has reached settlements with Bruker and Vizgen, resolving multiple patent disputes and establishing global patent cross-license agreements. Bruker will pay $68 million in installments and ongoing royalties.

3. DOAR Study on Public Attitudes Toward Patent Litigation – A study by DOAR reveals demographic differences in how jurors perceive high-tech companies in patent disputes. The findings suggest that factors like age and income influence attitudes more than geographic location.

4. Trademark Damages Case in the Eleventh Circuit – The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled on a trademark damages case, affirming that statutory damages can exceed actual damages. The case involved Top Tobacco suing Star Importers & Wholesalers for trademark violations and counterfeit cigarette rolling papers. The jury awarded damages beyond actual losses, and the court upheld the decision, emphasizing the role of statutory damages in trademark law.

How One Funeral Director’s Grudge Buried Manual Operators and Gave Rise to Modern Telephony

Rumor had it that local telephone operators, who manually routed all calls at the time, were favoring a competing funeral parlor. One version of the tale (likely apocryphal, yet enduring) claims the chief operator was the wife or cousin of his business rival, rerouting grieving families away from Strowger’s services.

Instead of confronting the conspiracy head-on, Strowger opted for something more enduring: eliminating the middleman. He devised a mechanical switching system that allowed telephone users to connect calls themselves, with no operator interference required. On March 10, 1891, he was granted U.S. Patent No. 447,918 for the first automatic telephone exchange.

In 1892, the first commercial Strowger switch was installed in La Porte, Indiana, marking the beginning of direct-dial telecommunications. Though refined by others in later years, Strowger’s original idea buried the need for operator-assisted calls, revolutionizing how we communicate.

The twist? An undertaker invented a device that would eventually put thousands of telephone operators out of work. Whether that’s poetic justice or just a well-engineered grudge, one thing is sure: never underestimate a disgruntled entrepreneur with a toolbox.

Please scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to find out.

The Quiet Genius Behind the Curtain: Russell Speight VanBlon, North Carolina’s Patent Powerhouse

Russ does not chase headlines. He builds them, brick by brick, patent by patent. With over 500 U.S. utility patents issued in his name, Russ is an innovation engine in human form. While some inventors chase a single breakthrough, Russ operates like a symphony of steady, cross-disciplinary brilliance. His work spans wearable device authentication, situationally suspending wakeup word to enable voice command input, user-focused activated voice recognition, finger touch gesture for joining and unjoining discrete touch objects, automatic modification of augmented reality objects, context aware aggregation of text-based messages, display of rechargeable battery charge notification, user verification using touch and eye tracking, and many others. In short, if it moves over the internet and does not make you want to throw your device out the window, there is a good chance Russ had something to do with it.

What sets Russ apart is his relentless pace. Many inventors plateau after a few great ideas, but not him. Even decades into his career, the patents keep coming. His secret? A rare blend of engineering fluency, market foresight, and just enough curiosity to ask, What if?

In an era obsessed with flashy founders and Silicon Valley disruption, Russell Speight VanBlon reminds us of a more enduring archetype: the quiet innovator who chooses progress over praise. North Carolina might be known for its research parks and barbecue, but thanks to Russ, it also lays quiet claim to one of America’s most prolific minds in the IP game.

The Birth of Blue Jeans on May 20, 1873

His solution? Reinforce the stress points with metal rivets. It worked brilliantly. So brilliantly, in fact, that Davis wanted to patent it, but couldn’t afford the $68 filing fee. He reached out to his fabric supplier, Strauss, to partner up. Strauss agreed, and together they filed what would become one of the most iconic patents in American history.

The riveted pants quickly caught on with workers across the American West. Originally made from heavy-duty duck cloth, they were soon switched to denim, dyed with indigo and the modern blue jean was born.

What began as a utilitarian garment for gold rush workers would evolve into a cultural symbol worn by everyone from cowboys and soldiers to rock stars and runway models. And it all started with a pocket problem, a tailor’s ingenuity, and a smart business partnership.

Fun Fact: May 20 is now celebrated as the official birthday of the blue jean by Levi’s.

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Congratulations to last week's Centurion Patentors!
We are excited to welcome the following inventors into these prestigious patent clubs:

For more info about their research & patents, click here

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