Question: How does one go about inventing architectural technology?
I know from the details thread, the furniture thread and countless other threads that architects often create many of their own details, assemblies and products relevant or necessary to their particularly project.
But is this something that's more on the engineering side? What's the protocol to take an idea from thought to product to patent?
Obviously, I can assume the process is much like a grade school science project of utilizing scientific methodology. And there's obviously a lot to study on the kinds of tests you would need to run to prove your product.
I got the idea because I was reading proposed code changes to building codes... and there was like 7 pages of 20 per page code changes ready to be made-- from everything to rodent control to ditch lining.
I was thinking this might be a profitable endeavor for a firm is to rack up ideas and patents on down time to sell to others looking for similar solutions.
My idea in question is a self-healing firewall. Not sure how to test it other than setting it on fire or pitch it to an engineering firm so I could at least get something on my resume.
I think there are patent lawyers that can help you there. I just talked to mine about a great idea I had for a self-healing firewall, for example ;-)
In all seriousness, as people who are experts in buildings, inventing things may be a huge untapped market? I think there are a few universities that do something like this, but I haven't heard about too many individual architects or firms (Buckminster Fuller excepted, perhaps). Details and such may be a bit difficult to patent, but things that require some significant amount of inventiveness (self-healing firewalls? solar products?) could probably stem from our expertise.
I'm no patent lawyer (nor do I actually have one, to contradict my first statement), but perhaps a working prototype could help your case. There are people out there who file frivolous patents and may not really do this, so YMMV - again, someone with more expertise would be a huge help. Previous patents can be found from the government (http://patft.uspto.gov/), so you may be able to get a representative sample of what is required.
Beyond the actual patent, I guess the onus is then on you to market the invention (perhaps to engineers, maybe to architects - as you own the patent, you can be the business yourself). I, for one, would enjoy being able to design a room that could handle any number of severe barbeque mishaps and come out no worse for the wear.
I think Buck Fuller advised against taking out patents (even though he had them himself--I can't recall his argument exactly--). For anything beyond 12 months (provisional patent) it gets to be expensive and a large pain in the ass, from my brief research into it.
Inventing Architectural Technology
Question: How does one go about inventing architectural technology?
I know from the details thread, the furniture thread and countless other threads that architects often create many of their own details, assemblies and products relevant or necessary to their particularly project.
But is this something that's more on the engineering side? What's the protocol to take an idea from thought to product to patent?
Obviously, I can assume the process is much like a grade school science project of utilizing scientific methodology. And there's obviously a lot to study on the kinds of tests you would need to run to prove your product.
I got the idea because I was reading proposed code changes to building codes... and there was like 7 pages of 20 per page code changes ready to be made-- from everything to rodent control to ditch lining.
I was thinking this might be a profitable endeavor for a firm is to rack up ideas and patents on down time to sell to others looking for similar solutions.
My idea in question is a self-healing firewall. Not sure how to test it other than setting it on fire or pitch it to an engineering firm so I could at least get something on my resume.
I think there are patent lawyers that can help you there. I just talked to mine about a great idea I had for a self-healing firewall, for example ;-)
In all seriousness, as people who are experts in buildings, inventing things may be a huge untapped market? I think there are a few universities that do something like this, but I haven't heard about too many individual architects or firms (Buckminster Fuller excepted, perhaps). Details and such may be a bit difficult to patent, but things that require some significant amount of inventiveness (self-healing firewalls? solar products?) could probably stem from our expertise.
I'm no patent lawyer (nor do I actually have one, to contradict my first statement), but perhaps a working prototype could help your case. There are people out there who file frivolous patents and may not really do this, so YMMV - again, someone with more expertise would be a huge help. Previous patents can be found from the government (http://patft.uspto.gov/), so you may be able to get a representative sample of what is required.
Beyond the actual patent, I guess the onus is then on you to market the invention (perhaps to engineers, maybe to architects - as you own the patent, you can be the business yourself). I, for one, would enjoy being able to design a room that could handle any number of severe barbeque mishaps and come out no worse for the wear.
I think Buck Fuller advised against taking out patents (even though he had them himself--I can't recall his argument exactly--). For anything beyond 12 months (provisional patent) it gets to be expensive and a large pain in the ass, from my brief research into it.
I think it's a great market and idea! I have been awarded my first patent for an architectural product, it's tough to do, but not impossible.
http://www.photo-form.com/
I'd be happy to give some advice/guidance via e-mail.
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