IDiyas Inventors Newsletter November 4, 2025

From Sweat to Motion: How Gatorade and VeloChair Turned Human Limits into Innovation

November 04, 2025

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See this week's breakthrough USPTO patent grants!

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This Week's Patent News:

  1. 🧠 Centripetal Networks v. Palo Alto Networks. The Federal Circuit reviewed Centripetal Networks' patent on detecting threats in encrypted communications. Palo Alto Networks challenged the patent via an IPR petition. Cisco and Keysight Technologies joined the challenge. The PTAB's institution and subsequent developments signal ongoing scrutiny of cybersecurity-related patents.

  2. 🛡️ China’s Strategic IP Shifts in October 2025. China’s IP litigation landscape saw major strategic shifts, including high-tech patent battles and enhanced coordination between judicial and administrative enforcement. These developments reflect China’s push for quality and integrity in IP enforcement, especially in AI and communications sectors.

  3. ⚙️ Interactive Communications v. Blackhawk Network. A Director Review reversed a PTAB decision due to contradictory expert testimony. The case highlights the importance of expert consistency in patent trials and the evolving role of Director Reviews in shaping outcomes.

  4. 📡 Strava Sues Garmin for Patent Infringement. Fitness app Strava filed a lawsuit against Garmin, alleging infringement of patents related to activity tracking and data synchronization. The case underscores growing tensions in wearable tech IP battles.

  5. 🧬 VoiceAge v. HMD Global SEP Dispute. In a high-profile SEP (standard-essential patent) case, VoiceAge Technologies secured a conditional injunction against HMD Global. The ruling emphasized FRAND compliance and set a precedent for SEP enforcement in China.

New weekly USPTO Patents data have been added.

7,968 Patents  
Utility: 7,013
Design: 943
Plant: 12

Top Inventors:

  1. Tao Luo - 17

  2. Jing Sun - 11

  3. Min Pan - 9

  4. Frederick E. Shelton, IV - 9

  5. Junyi Li - 9

  6. Yan Zhou - 9

  7. Xiaoxia Zhang - 8

  1. Justin T. Mason - 7

  2. Dawei Zhang - 7

  3. Ahmed Attia Abotabl - 7

  4. Jeremy Bataillou - 6

  5. Chiehan Chien - 6

  6. Tim Liu - 6

  7. Christopher Brian Locke - 6

  8. Sarbajit K. Rakshit - 6

The Origins of Gatorade: How Science Hydrated a Legacy

How a Florida Doctor Turned Dehydration into a Billion-Dollar Solution for Athletes Everywhere

In 1965, amid the sweltering Florida heat, the University of Florida’s football team faced a perplexing issue: players were dehydrating rapidly and underperforming. Observing this pattern, Dr. Robert Cade, a nephrologist at the university’s College of Medicine, posed a question that would change sports history: What if athletes aren't just tired, but chemically depleted?

Cade and his team analyzed the physiological toll of exertion in extreme heat and discovered that the players were losing water and critical electrolytes like sodium and potassium. The solution came as a lemon-lime drink, scientifically formulated to replenish fluids and restore balance. Initially unpalatable, the mixture was refined and administered during games. The result? The Gators began winning, attributing their improved stamina to this strange new beverage, eventually dubbed Gatorade.

What began as a research experiment in a university lab evolved into a sports hydration revolution. The success on the field attracted attention, and soon commercial partners helped bring Gatorade to a national audience. Cade, guided by ethical convictions, ensured a portion of the royalties would support the university’s research, a decision that helped fund countless academic initiatives.

Today, Gatorade is a global brand, synonymous with athletic endurance and recovery. Behind the brightly colored bottles is the story of a physician who applied medical insight to solve a practical problem, demonstrating the transformative power of science when guided by curiosity, integrity, and a commitment to human performance.

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Trivia

Guess which one was patented first, and consider how it changed the world. Ready? Let’s go! 🧠 Microwave Oven vs. Credit Card

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

Reinventing Mobility: How Ken Simons Pedaled His Way to Freedom with the VeloChair

The VeloChair was invented by Kenneth A. Simons (commonly referred to as Ken Simons).

He developed it after being diagnosed with Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL) in his early 50s, which significantly impaired his ability to walk or stand for extended periods

Simons recognized that many traditional mobility options either over‑taxed the arms (like manual wheelchairs) or lacked opportunities for light exercise (like electric scooters). Wanting something empowering and active, he created the VeloChair, a pedal‑powered chair designed for individuals who have at least one working leg and arm. He aimed to promote independence, mobility, and light cardiovascular exercise while seated.

Today in Patent History

đź’Ą The 1862 Invention That Made War Too Efficient to Stop

On November 4, 1862, American inventor Richard Jordan Gatling received a patent for the machine gun, revolutionizing warfare. The Gatling gun could fire multiple rounds in rapid succession using a hand crank, far faster than any rifle of its time.

Gatling believed his invention would reduce the size of armies and the number of deaths by making war too deadly to pursue, a tragic irony given its later use in major conflicts. His design laid the groundwork for automatic weapons, marking a turning point in military technology and the dawn of mechanized warfare.

U.S. Patent No. 36836

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Industrial robots are used to increase productivity, precision, and safety while reducing labor costs and human error. This UpFront Research report summarizes Patent use cases, prolific inventors, companies doing research like Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, and Fanuc corporation.

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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: âś… First patented: Microwave Oven

Percy Spencer accidentally discovered microwave heating in 1945.

The modern credit card didn't really arrive until 1950, with the Diners Club card.

🍲 Fun Fact: The first microwave was almost 6 feet tall, weighed 750 pounds, and cost as much as a car. Definitely not countertop-friendly.

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