In our last class we went through a patent from beginning to end.
Some key things to point out on the first page includes the patent number. Usually, one refers to the patent by the last three digits of the assigned patent number. This is located in the top right corner of the patent filing. The information is divided into two even columns, and the first part of the left column gives basic information about patent ownership. This includes the names of the patent authors, and this often includes multiple authors. Following that, the assignee, or the person who owns the patent, is listed. Blackberry actually owns a ton of patents in the space of mobile devices, so I wager the company is capable of getting attractive acquisition offers at some point in time.
In many patents, there are illustrated diagrams of the patent being explained. These diagrams clarify what the particular idea being patented looks like, and is a helpful reference when browsing through the body of the patent literature.
The important part toward the end of the patent filing is the claims, and the claims are made up of different elements that are clearly enumerated. Our guest speaker warned us to be aware of the language, especially around the technical construction of the patent. For example, a platform might exist under LAN if specified as so, but could be a new process and idea for another type of data transmission.
Ultimately, the takeaway was that one must be concise with the language used.
You raise a good point about patent filings. I thought it was interesting how the specificity of your patent's language affects whether or not the patent will be given to your company. The less specific the wording, the broader the patent protection, but the less likely your patent will be passed (this is the impression I got from the class). For example: the inclusion of the "LAN" terminology prevented RIMM from suing Skype for infringement.
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