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January 2009 
Patent Infringing In A World Without Oil
Posted on May 22nd, 2007
by 
L'el
L'el
So. The other thing I suggested at the meeting was doing patent searches, to find and figure out how to make useful hand-powered (slash solar slash whatever-non-oil-powered) technologies. Like this, for example. Portable UV-based water purification. Searching the USPTO Site is pretty easy. You just type in some keywords, narrow them down by category if you want, and voila! (er, I almost mis-typed that as the word in this patent instead..) You can search granted patents or pending patent applications.
To figure out what keywords to use, you can start by searching newspapers/magazines/blogs for inventions that would be useful... Look up sustainable technology initiatives for developing countries, or travel gear (which is one of the places many hand-powered inventions work). Or delve into the history books, and tour museums with nineteenth century tools for inventions you might be able to cross-reference against their patent applications.
If you're lucky, there may be a still-operational supplier near you for some inventions. If not, well, find someone who is mechanically competent and start checking out that patent...
***
Now I should mention that patent terms last twenty years. Any invention invented before this date in 1987 is free to make and sell and use any way you like. But if you make/use/sell anything invented after that date without the owner's permission, well, that's infringement. They could sue you. In a time of severe economic stress and riots, of course, and in a situation where only a few people at a time are using these things, well... chances are you won't have any problems going ahead and making what you need to make.
But I wouldn't be a future attorney if I didn't append the disclaimer that the above should not be read to constitute _legal_ advice. Any opinions expressed are my own and not those of whatever fantastically wonderfully totally-deserving-of-kissing-up-to firm wisely decides to hire me someday. ;)
***
So yeah, patent searching isn't exactly in the survivalist's guide, but I'd make it a WWO mission assignment if I could: Go find an invention could help your community adapt to the changing times. Report the Patent Number. (Tag it PatentNumber). Sound good?
To figure out what keywords to use, you can start by searching newspapers/magazines/blogs for inventions that would be useful... Look up sustainable technology initiatives for developing countries, or travel gear (which is one of the places many hand-powered inventions work). Or delve into the history books, and tour museums with nineteenth century tools for inventions you might be able to cross-reference against their patent applications.
If you're lucky, there may be a still-operational supplier near you for some inventions. If not, well, find someone who is mechanically competent and start checking out that patent...
***
Now I should mention that patent terms last twenty years. Any invention invented before this date in 1987 is free to make and sell and use any way you like. But if you make/use/sell anything invented after that date without the owner's permission, well, that's infringement. They could sue you. In a time of severe economic stress and riots, of course, and in a situation where only a few people at a time are using these things, well... chances are you won't have any problems going ahead and making what you need to make.
But I wouldn't be a future attorney if I didn't append the disclaimer that the above should not be read to constitute _legal_ advice. Any opinions expressed are my own and not those of whatever fantastically wonderfully totally-deserving-of-kissing-up-to firm wisely decides to hire me someday. ;)
***
So yeah, patent searching isn't exactly in the survivalist's guide, but I'd make it a WWO mission assignment if I could: Go find an invention could help your community adapt to the changing times. Report the Patent Number. (Tag it PatentNumber). Sound good?
Access: Public
this is a good idea because someone has probly already been in a tough spot and altready been thinking about ways to adapt. someone earlier said, talk to homeless people, they know a lot about getting by with less or even nothing. but i find it hard to focus on teh patent site i start looking at all the goofy things!
Sustainible technology => Working on it!