A Japanese researcher sought a new basic taste sensation other than the already-well-known salty, sweet, sour, and bitter identified in western culture (Indian, Chinese and Japanese had 5 or 6 named basic taste senses, e.g., "spicy"). The new fifth taste was named: umami.
Umami, a Japanese word roughly meaning "savoriness", was narrowed to the taste sensations of particular naturally occurring amino acid-derived compounds, such as glutamate, typically found in aged or fermented foods, such as cheeses, and fish paste. Two other nucleotide-derived compounds are also contributors to umami: inosinate and guanate.
The glutamate binds to certain G protein coupled glutamate receptors [wikipedia.org: taste].
Therefore, when listening to judges in various cooking contests, such as Iron Chef, the term "taste character" and "combination of tastes" includes the five basic tastes in various proportions, particularly including various proportions of the three umami-contributing ingredients: glutamate, inosinate, and guanate.
Recently, in 2000, French researchers have apparently identified a fat receptor in the taste buds of the tongue corresponding to a "fat taste".
Francis Lorin
siberkhem.com
20080323
Packaging
One of the hallmarks of any commercial enterprise is the distinctive packaging used for its products. The packaging includes the name of the product and its source, specifically the name of the company. Of all US Patents, the packaging-related patents can arguably comprise the majority of trademark-related documents. Although there is a distinct difference between the intellectual property protection of utility-based entities, i.e., products having utility, and recognition-based entities, i.e., trademarks.
One complex packaging is that used for inkjet printer inks, e.g., Canon, HP, Lexmark, Brother, etc. These packages use combinations of paper-based, plastic and composite materials.
The U.S. Classification System has defined a set of Classes directly pertaining to packaging and the making of packaging:
Class 53 - Processes for packaging, filling packages with product
Class 492 - Processes for making paper-based packages
Class 156 - Processes for making or modifying packaging that includes an adhesive bonding step
Class 206 - Particular packaging structures
Class 220 - Particular containers
Francis Lorin
siberkhem.com
One complex packaging is that used for inkjet printer inks, e.g., Canon, HP, Lexmark, Brother, etc. These packages use combinations of paper-based, plastic and composite materials.
The U.S. Classification System has defined a set of Classes directly pertaining to packaging and the making of packaging:
Class 53 - Processes for packaging, filling packages with product
Class 492 - Processes for making paper-based packages
Class 156 - Processes for making or modifying packaging that includes an adhesive bonding step
Class 206 - Particular packaging structures
Class 220 - Particular containers
Francis Lorin
siberkhem.com
20080314
Corpora: Word sets for use in patents
Various sources can be used to obtain a "core" corpus containing all English words, including the unabridged Oxford Dictionary. However, a suitable source is Roget's International Thesaurus containing 256,000 words organized according to a systematic arrangement created by the meticulous Robert Roget, a surgeon.
20080313
New Evolution-based Natural Classification: Cladistics
Biologists and students of biology are quite familiar with the swede Carl Linnaeus (13 May 1707 - 10 January 1778) and his taxonomy system for classifying plants and animals, especially the unique genus-species description of a species, e.g., Homo sapiens or E. coli. However, this system was based on latinized words that Linnaeus based on observable characteristics (e.g., vertebrae, mammary), but also often completely made up.
For those who have read a biography of Linnaeus, it will be obvious that Linnaeus was a very well known person in his time, and considered by many to be something of a genius. He is often referred to as the "Father of Taxonomy" for his many works leading to the ordered structure for the classification of the Plant Kingdom and for laying the groundwork for the taxonomies of the Animal and other Kindoms. His surname, Linnaeus, is a latinization of "linde", for the "linden tree" (a "lime" tree) that was present on the property of his childhood home. In those days of the early 1700s, a surname was required to enter a higher-education school. However, most people in Sweden at the time obtained their "family names" from the first name of their fathers combined with the "sson" suffix. Therefore, Carl's name was originally Carl Nilsson, since his father was Nils Ingmarsson, who in turn was the son of Ingmar Bengtsson. [wikipedia.org: "carl linnaeus"]
Recently, with the new technology for rapidly determining genetic make-up (i.e., DNA sequencing), a clearer relationship between different organisms has been revealed by comparing their DNA sequences, rather than the previous observed characteristics. This has led to the new hierarchical classification system called cladistics, from the Greek word "klados", meaning "branch". Alternatively, the term "phylogenetics" can also be used for the same classification system. Since the changes in the genetic profile of organisms can be observed through time, both within the same species or varieties, and across species, this system is based on evolution. Common ancestry can be observed by similar classification under this system. In addition, newly created species and varieties, e.g., H1N5 virus, can be readily identified and changes or mutations can be compared with related known species and varieties. [wikipedia.org: cladistics]
By contrast, the classification of patent documents has not yet found any similar well-structured system that is universal, efficient and usable. Therefore, patent searchers must, unfortunately, acquaint themselves with three major systems (i.e., ECLA/IPC, USCS and JPOCS) and some minor systems (e.g., Derwent) to locate relevant documents.
Francis "Fran" Lorin
siberkhem.com
For those who have read a biography of Linnaeus, it will be obvious that Linnaeus was a very well known person in his time, and considered by many to be something of a genius. He is often referred to as the "Father of Taxonomy" for his many works leading to the ordered structure for the classification of the Plant Kingdom and for laying the groundwork for the taxonomies of the Animal and other Kindoms. His surname, Linnaeus, is a latinization of "linde", for the "linden tree" (a "lime" tree) that was present on the property of his childhood home. In those days of the early 1700s, a surname was required to enter a higher-education school. However, most people in Sweden at the time obtained their "family names" from the first name of their fathers combined with the "sson" suffix. Therefore, Carl's name was originally Carl Nilsson, since his father was Nils Ingmarsson, who in turn was the son of Ingmar Bengtsson. [wikipedia.org: "carl linnaeus"]
Recently, with the new technology for rapidly determining genetic make-up (i.e., DNA sequencing), a clearer relationship between different organisms has been revealed by comparing their DNA sequences, rather than the previous observed characteristics. This has led to the new hierarchical classification system called cladistics, from the Greek word "klados", meaning "branch". Alternatively, the term "phylogenetics" can also be used for the same classification system. Since the changes in the genetic profile of organisms can be observed through time, both within the same species or varieties, and across species, this system is based on evolution. Common ancestry can be observed by similar classification under this system. In addition, newly created species and varieties, e.g., H1N5 virus, can be readily identified and changes or mutations can be compared with related known species and varieties. [wikipedia.org: cladistics]
By contrast, the classification of patent documents has not yet found any similar well-structured system that is universal, efficient and usable. Therefore, patent searchers must, unfortunately, acquaint themselves with three major systems (i.e., ECLA/IPC, USCS and JPOCS) and some minor systems (e.g., Derwent) to locate relevant documents.
Francis "Fran" Lorin
siberkhem.com
20080304
Verbs and Patents
Verbs establish the presence of sentences. In patents, particularly, declarative sentences (containing verbs) describe an invention.
An application writer uses the most appropriate verbs throughout the specification to explain and define the inventive features. The verbs used in patents should be unambiguous and avoid emotion. This helps to clarify the meaning of the sentences when interpreted by readers of the patent, e.g., courts, juries, other inventors, and patent users, etc.
There have been attempts to categorize verbs, e.g., Saussure, Jakob Grimm's "strong and weak Germanic verbs", Roget (i.e., Roget's Thesaurus) and by other linguists and philosophers. Recently, Beth Levin made an attempt to classify English Verbs in her "preliminary investigation" ["English Verb Classes and Alternations: A Preliminary Investigation"; Beth Levin, 1993, University of Chicago press]. In her book, she describes verb classes in which verbs are grouped according to their relationship with a subject and, where relevant, an object, i.e., "alternation". In Part 1, she describes various types of alternations and in Part 2, she lists the classes of verbs.
For example, in Part 2, Chapter 35, entitled "Verbs of Searching", she describes six classes: Hunt, Search, Stalk, Investigate, Rummage, and Ferret. The various alternations associated with these verb classes are described in Part 1, Section 2.11. The verbs in the "Search Class" include: advertise, check, comb, dive, drag, dredge, excavate, patrol, plumb, probe, prospect, prowl, quarry, rake, rifle, scavenge, scour, scout, search, shop, sift, trawl, troll, watch.
The verbs in this class are related by requiring use of the preposition "for" in a prepositional phrase that includes the object being "searched", e.g., A searched for OBJECT in B or A searched B for OBJECT, but NOT in the following alternant form: A searched OBJECT in B.
The verbs classes for "find" and "reveal" are the "Get Verb Class" and "Characterize Verb Class", based on their types of alternation.
At this time, the categorization of verbs continues to be studied based on various linguistic attributes and grammatical constructions. In the meantime, thesauri, such as Roget's Thesaurus and Rodale's Synonym Finder are good starting points for finding related words, including verbs, in an effort to find the verb that best describes a particular action or relationship in an invention.
Francis "Fran" Lorin
siberkhem.com
An application writer uses the most appropriate verbs throughout the specification to explain and define the inventive features. The verbs used in patents should be unambiguous and avoid emotion. This helps to clarify the meaning of the sentences when interpreted by readers of the patent, e.g., courts, juries, other inventors, and patent users, etc.
There have been attempts to categorize verbs, e.g., Saussure, Jakob Grimm's "strong and weak Germanic verbs", Roget (i.e., Roget's Thesaurus) and by other linguists and philosophers. Recently, Beth Levin made an attempt to classify English Verbs in her "preliminary investigation" ["English Verb Classes and Alternations: A Preliminary Investigation"; Beth Levin, 1993, University of Chicago press]. In her book, she describes verb classes in which verbs are grouped according to their relationship with a subject and, where relevant, an object, i.e., "alternation". In Part 1, she describes various types of alternations and in Part 2, she lists the classes of verbs.
For example, in Part 2, Chapter 35, entitled "Verbs of Searching", she describes six classes: Hunt, Search, Stalk, Investigate, Rummage, and Ferret. The various alternations associated with these verb classes are described in Part 1, Section 2.11. The verbs in the "Search Class" include: advertise, check, comb, dive, drag, dredge, excavate, patrol, plumb, probe, prospect, prowl, quarry, rake, rifle, scavenge, scour, scout, search, shop, sift, trawl, troll, watch.
The verbs in this class are related by requiring use of the preposition "for" in a prepositional phrase that includes the object being "searched", e.g., A searched for OBJECT in B or A searched B for OBJECT, but NOT in the following alternant form: A searched OBJECT in B.
The verbs classes for "find" and "reveal" are the "Get Verb Class" and "Characterize Verb Class", based on their types of alternation.
At this time, the categorization of verbs continues to be studied based on various linguistic attributes and grammatical constructions. In the meantime, thesauri, such as Roget's Thesaurus and Rodale's Synonym Finder are good starting points for finding related words, including verbs, in an effort to find the verb that best describes a particular action or relationship in an invention.
Francis "Fran" Lorin
siberkhem.com
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