Quoted:


I blame it on the decision to allow software and algorithms to be patented.   The stupidity is rampant.

Quoted:
Patents are now being issued for "first to patent" without regard to existing products.

So you find some product on the market that nobody ever bothered to patent, and then patent it and put the other company out of business.

The whole patent system now is just about process and not products.  That kind of model favors large outfits with a dedicated legal staff who just play the game full time.

Quoted:


That's not true.

An existing product is published material and therefore is impossible to patent because it's not new, novel, or unique.


People who decry patents don't realize that, without patent protection, the amount of technology, innovation and invention would have NEVER been EVEN CLOSE to what the US has experienced in the last 100 years.

Patent
A point-to-point Internet protocol exchanges Internet Protocol (IP) addresses between processing units to establish a point-to-point communication link between the processing units through the Internet. A first point-to-point Internet protocol includes the steps of (a) storing in a database a respective IP address of a set of processing units that have an on-line status with respect to the Internet; (b) transmitting a query from a first processing unit to a connection server to determine the on-line status of a second processing unit; and (c) retrieving the IP address of the second unit from the database using the connection server, in response to the determination of a positive on-line status of the second processing unit, for establishing a point-to-point communication link between the first and second processing units through the Internet. A second point-to-point Internet protocol includes the steps of (a) transmitting an E-mail signal, including a first IP address, from a first processing unit; (b) processing the E-mail signal through the Internet to deliver the E-mail signal to a second processing unit; and (c) transmitting a second IP address to the first processing unit for establishing a point-to-point communication link between the first and second processing units through the Internet.

Quoted:
As a person who has my name of 40 patents::

The problem is that the patent office grants too many patents. One of the preconditions to obtaining a patent is that the invention not be obvious to someone skilled in the art. So, when more than one patent application arrives at the patent office inventing substantially the same thing, they should ALL be thrown out as being obvious to someone skilled in the art. That is multiple simultaneous invention is not patentable, but falls under "obvioous to one skilled in the art".

Now the price structure of obtaining a patent has taken obtaining a patent out of the hands of the inventor (unless independently wealthy) so that only corporations can obtain patents.

In addition, only corporations can procecute suits brought on my owners of patents ($$$ again).

So, the patent is no longer protecting the inventor, but protecting the corporation. And with the revision of the mid 1990s, the corporation can essentially hold onto the patent for decades, reducting the utility to society at large, which was to original premiss for patents (limited grant of rights).

Quoted:


Tell me why this patent exists.



This is patenting the idea of having 2 computers talk to each other without a server in between.


Edit: I'm a software developer.  I understand the point of protecting your software.  Software patents, however, are pretty ridiculous.

Title:
Method of exercising a cat
United States Patent 5443036
Abstract:
A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to cause the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct.

Inventors:
Amiss, Kevin T. (255 S. Pickett St., #301, Alexandria, VA, 22304)
Abbott, Martin H. (10549 Assembly Dr., Fairfax, VA, 22030)
Application Number:
08/144473
Publication Date:
08/22/1995
Filing Date:
11/02/1993
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation
Primary Class:
119/707
International Classes:
A01K15/02; A01K15/00; (IPC1-7): A01K29/00
Field of Search:
119/702, 119/707, 119/174, 119/905, 446/485
View Patent Images:
Download PDF 5443036        PDF help
US Patent References:
5194007Semiconductor laser weapon trainer and target designator for live fireMarch, 1993Marshall et al.
5056097Target illuminators and systems employing sameOctober, 1991Meyers
4985029Laser apparatus for medical treatmentJanuary, 1991Hoshino
4926438Laser pointerMay, 1990Maes et al.
4761715Laser pointerAugust, 1988Brooks
4757515Laser tube casingJuly, 1988Hughes
4231077Light toyOctober, 1980Joyce et al.
4208701Luminous toyJune, 1980Schock
3877171Flashlight amusement deviceApril, 1975Sloop et al.446/485
Other References:
Carayan et al., "Effects of tianeptine on the Performance of a reaching movement in a cat", Psychopharmacology, vol. 104, Issue 3, Berlin, 1991, pp. 328-336.
Levesque et al., "Visual `cortical-recipient` and tectal-recepient pontine zones play distinct roles in cat visuomotor performance", Behavioral Brain Research, vol. 39, Netherlands, 1990, pp. 157-166.
Primary Examiner:
Manahan, Todd E.
Claims:
What is claimed is:

1. A method of inducing aerobic exercise in an unrestrained cat comprising the steps of:

(a) directing an intense coherent beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus to produce a bright highly-focused pattern of light at the intersection of the beam and an opaque surface, said pattern being of visual interest to a cat; and

(b) selectively redirecting said beam out of the cat's immediate reach to induce said cat to run and chase said beam and pattern of light around an exercise area.


2. The method of claim 1 wherein said bright pattern of light is small in area relative to a paw of the cat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said beam remains invisible between said laser and said opaque surface until impinging on said opaque surface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) includes sweeping said beam at an angular speed to cause said pattern to move along said opaque surface at a speed in the range of five to twenty-five feet per second.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to recreational and amusement devices for domestic animals and, more particularly, to a method for exercising and entertaining cats.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Cats are not characteristically disposed toward voluntary aerobic exercise. It becomes the burden of the cat owner to create situations of sufficient interest to the feline to induce even short-lived and modest exertion for the health and well-being of the pet. Cats are, however, fascinated by light and enthralled by unpredictable jumpy movements, as for instance, by the bobbing end of a piece of hand-held string or yarn, or a ball rolling and bouncing across a floor. Intense sunlight reflected from a mirror or focused through a prism, if the room is sufficiently dark, will, when moved irregularly, cause even the more sedentary of cats to scamper after the lighted image in an amusing and therapeutic game of "cat and mouse." The disruption of having to darken a room to stage a cat workout and the uncertainty of collecting a convenient sunbeam in a lens or mirror render these approaches to establishing a regular life-enhancing cat exercise routine inconvenient at best.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of exercising a cat in normal day and night lighting environments.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of providing amusing, entertaining and healthy exercise for a cat.

It is yet another object of the present invention to teach a method of exercising a cat effortlessly at any time.

In accordance with the present invention, a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (laser) device in a small hand-held configuration is used to project and move a bright pattern of light around a room to amuse and exercise a cat.

The method is effective, simple, convenient and inexpensive to practice and provides healthy exercise for the cat and amusement and entertainment for both the cat and the owner.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cat owner exercising a cat in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a hand-held laser exerciser.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (laser) apparatus 10 for exercising cats, in the hands of a cat owner 12, emits an invisible beam 14 of light from and along the longitudinal axis of the device barrel 16. Activation of the laser cat exerciser 10 is controlled by spring-loaded trigger 18 energizing the laser mechanism by completing a battery power circuit. A cat 20 reacts to the bright pattern of light 22 occurring at the intersection of the laser beam and an opaque surface, for example, the floor or wall of a room.

The involuntary and almost imperceptibly slight movements of the hand holding the laser device of the present invention creates a jittery animated effect in the light pattern at the opaque intersection appealing to cats even when the device is held essentially steady.

Intentional movements of the hand-held cat exerciser cause angular changes in the direction of the beam 14 and consequently the light pattern 22 moves unpredictably about the intersecting surfaces. The cat 20, intrigued by the jumpy movement of the light pattern, experiences a playful and healthy chase impulse and follows the irregularly moving light pattern around the room to the cardio-vascular, respiratory, weight control, and muscle tone benefit of the animal.

The coherent nature of a laser light beam results in a small intensely bright pattern of light clearly visible in normal day light or artificial night illumination, small enough relative to the paw of the cat to cause interest without posing a threat, and sharply defined over long enough distances (e.g., up to 150 feet) to provoke a full workout with long sprints for the pet. Ideally the bright pattern of light is directed along the floor, steps or wall at speeds sufficient to exert and entertain the cat but not so discouragingly fast as to dissuade against the chase, i.e., typically in the general range of 5 to 25 feet per second. In other words, the angular sweep speed of the laser beam is controlled by the cat owner 12 to effect an appropriate linear sweep speed of the pattern on the opaque surface within the stated general range. It is understood, of course, that the angular beam sweep speed required to effect a given linear pattern speed depends upon the distance between the laser and the surface on which the pattern impinges; specifically, as the distance between the laser and the surface increases, the same linear pattern speed is produced by a slower angular beam sweep speed. Release of trigger 18 interrupts the power circuit and extinguishes the laser beam, whereupon the cat can return to more traditionally feline time passing until cat owner 12 re-initiates the laser cat exerciser.

The light pattern projected by the laser cat exerciser is invisible until intersection with an opaque surface. Lasers emitting various colors of coherent light can be used and the laser apparatus can be distinctively shaped and colored for easy identification.

Although particularly suited to amusing and exercising cats, the method of the present invention can be applied to other domestic pets, for instance dogs, ferrets, and any other animals with the chase instinct.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that the subject matter discussed above and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Quoted:


I blame it on the decision to allow software and algorithms to be patented.   The stupidity is rampant.

Quoted:


Define 'Unique Software Capability'.  The things that have been patented have been algorithm type stuff.  The example posted earlier (2 computers talking) is a great one, I've seen another were someone patented an index file .

Software should be treated like books, with a copywrite - not with a patent IMHO.

Quoted:


I blame it on the decision to allow software and algorithms to be patented.   The stupidity is rampant.

Quoted:


That's not true.

An existing product is published material and therefore is impossible to patent because it's not new, novel, or unique.


People who decry patents don't realize that, without patent protection, the amount of technology, innovation and invention would have NEVER been EVEN CLOSE to what the US has experienced in the last 100 years.

Quoted:


So what are you patenting now, the "bubble sort"(tm)?

Quoted:


I'm glad no one thought to patent the idea of assigning a value to a variable.

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Some of us made it past algebra and are working on things that are a bit more complicated.

Quoted:


I blame it on the decision to allow software and algorithms to be patented.   The stupidity is rampant.

Quoted:


What's the issue with that?  If I build a unique software capability, shouldn't I be able to protect it?

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Honestly? Fuck no.

Quoted:


I bet someone's tried to patent it. It seems that a lot of the software patents out there are for obvious software solutions derived by people that are hacks. If musical licks could be patented, most software patents would equate in technology to something like a musician getting a patent on 7/8 or the pentatonic scale. To a professional, the idea of patenting such a trivial thing would be asinine, but to the amateur, they'd think they actually "invented" something.

Quoted:


I'm not talking about patenting variable assignments.  That is retarded, and is well established and therefore not eligible for patent anyways.  I'm talking about algorithms that actually perform a function, like image analysis.  Note, I'm not saying that image analysis in itself is or should be patentable.  If you can invent a unique algorithm that does it better and faster then more power to you.

Quoted:


This concept is obsolete.  Proving a patent is "obvious" is no longer practical, and there is no penalty or check for filing an "obvious" patent.

Quoted:

I'm not talking about patenting variable assignments.  That is retarded, and is well established and therefore not eligible for patent anyways.  I'm talking about algorithms that actually perform a function, like image analysis.  Note, I'm not saying that image analysis in itself is or should be patentable.  If you can invent a unique algorithm that does it better and faster then more power to you.

Quoted:


I guarantee that there's a patent examiner that would grant a patent to assigning a variable somewhere.

Quoted:




Umm computers were talking to each other before the internet.

The Airline reservations system (SABRE) is a great example.

Quoted:


I understand that.  However, that applies to any patents - not just software algorithms.  I don't see how that makes a good argument for barring patents on algorithms.

Quoted:
<snip>
Math has never been patentable, along with other fundamental laws (IE you can't patent gravity in theory).  Algorithms are, by definition, math.

Quoted:


The math isn't what is patented.  The algorithm is.  They are not one and the same.  Math is to an algorithm as steel is to the ball bearing.

Quoted:


That's not true.

An existing product is published material and therefore is impossible to patent because it's not new, novel, or unique.


People who decry patents don't realize that, without patent protection, the amount of technology, innovation and invention would have NEVER been EVEN CLOSE to what the US has experienced in the last 100 years.

Quoted:
Patent law written a century ago didn't anticipate the issues with intellectual property we have today. Patent agents in many instances don't have the expertise necessary to even understand what they are looking at.

That being said, do I trust politicians in DC to solve that problem? No, I do not. I do, however, expect corporations who already have a big war chest to employ lots of resources lobbying to get IP laws favorable to them to cement their dominance in the market.