Articles about patents

University of Washington and Seattle biotech win $245M patent judgment against Guardant

A Seattle biotech built on University of Washington research has won a $245 million patent judgment against Guardant Health over DNA sequencing technology, with the court also ordering ongoing royalties through 2033. Read More

Mysterious company files patent suits vs. Seattle and Sacramento over parking payment technology

A company registered to a virtual mailbox in Seattle’s University District, which four months ago acquired a trio of parking… Read More

Microsoft patents tech to score meetings using body language, facial expressions, other data

Microsoft is facing criticism for its new “Productivity Score” technology, which can measure how much individual workers use email, chat… Read More

Whip it good! Amazon patents a launch system for snapping payloads into the air — or even into orbit

Never let it be said that Amazon Prime Air VP Gur Kimchi thinks small: His latest patent lays out a… Read More

Amazon wins patent for robots that drop off bunches of items on delivery routes

Amazon is already testing robots that deliver packages, but a newly issued patent covers a far more ambitious scheme, involving… Read More

The future of Cortana? Microsoft patent shows new advances in reading and summarizing emails

Microsoft’s vision for Cortana continues to evolve, and according to a new patent, the next step for the digital assistant… Read More

New patent application points to development of palm scanning tech for Amazon Go stores

Amazon Go customers could someday enter the store with a simple wave of the hand, replacing today’s process of swiping… Read More

Self-driving delivery vehicles plus self-flying drones? Now there’s an Amazon patent for that

For a long time, Amazon has been looking into applications for self-driving vehicles — and testing fleets of self-flying drones… Read More

University of Washington once again named world’s most innovative public university

For the third year in a row, the University of Washington has won the title of the world’s most innovative… Read More

IBM sues Zillow, accuses the real estate giant of building key features using Big Blue’s tech

IBM filed a lawsuit against Zillow this week, accusing the real estate giant of piggybacking off its patented technology to… Read More

Patent filings reveal new Microsoft portable speaker plans, possibly for Teams meetings

Microsoft is working on a new portable speaker, according to a recent patent filing, and the inventors on the project… Read More

Amazon lays out a technology to guide delivery agents with augmented reality

Efficient package delivery is one of the keystones of Amazon’s retailing business, and a newly issued patent opens up a… Read More

Amazon patents drone surveillance as a service, but don’t rush to sign up (or sue)

Amazon has patented a system for providing home security surveillance as a service, but the real innovation has to do… Read More

How do you direct a drone to drop off your purchases? Amazon has a patent for that

A newly published patent hints at the system that Amazon just might use to guide delivery drones to their destinations,… Read More

Amazon patents a plan to have packages ride public buses for customer pickup

Amazon’s inventors have suggested using drone-dispensing trucks, rail cars and airships to deliver packages, but one of the company’s latest… Read More

Microsoft wins patent for ‘curved edge displays’ that could be combined together

Microsoft this week won a patent for a “curved edge display,” a potential harbinger of where the company’s device efforts… Read More

Patent filings reveal new details about Microsoft’s vision for a foldable, dual-screen Surface device

A patent application published today adds more fuel to the fire about the possibility of a new hybrid dual-screen Microsoft Surface… Read More

Microsoft vows to protect Linux from future patent wars by joining the Open Invention Network

After years of waging patent war on Google’s Linux-based Android mobile operating system, Microsoft agreed Wednesday to join the Open… Read More

Amazon’s got a brand new bag: This one’s adjustable to carry hot and cold items

Insulated bags for pizza deliveries and cooler bags for ice-cold drinks are nothing new. But how about if you put… Read More

Amazon aims to patent fulfillment centers that can ride the rails and dispatch drones

If Amazon follows through on a pair of patent applications, future fulfillment centers could be transported on their rounds by… Read More

A drone that’s an on-demand data server? The perfect patent for Amazon’s ambitions

Amazon is well-known for developing delivery drones, and for delivering data through Amazon Web Services — so it had to be… Read More

Years after patenting the concept, Amazon admits putting workers in a cage would be a bad idea

Warehouse workers confined in cages? That’s the dark vision evoked by an essay delving into the worries that come along… Read More

Fresh patents served up for the smart shelf technologies seen in Amazon Go stores

Amazon has just opened a third Seattle location that makes use of its cashierless Amazon Go grocery shopping concept —… Read More

Heads up! Amazon wins a patent for robotic arms that toss warehouse items

Robots are nothing new for Amazon’s fulfillment centers, but a newly issued Amazon patent envisions robots that could toss items… Read More

Amazon patent covers how to signal a delivery drone (and how it signals back)

For an earlier generation, one of the sweetest sounds of summer was the music coming from an ice-cream truck. For… Read More

Microsoft vows to cede patent rights to customers for jointly developed technology

Microsoft, which has spent decades building its intellectual property war chest, says it will give ownership of patent and industrial… Read More

Want to fight virtual zombies while riding in a real car? Apple aims to patent that idea

Running over virtual zombies might seem like a strange way to fight motion sickness in a moving car, but that’s… Read More

Waving at drones: The wackiest patent image you’ll see today, courtesy of Amazon

This is exactly how I would react if a drone came flying at me. The U.S. Patent Office on Tuesday… Read More

Protect your Amazon drone-delivered package? There’s an APP airbag for that

Seven years after Jeff Bezos had the idea of putting an airbag on your smartphone, Amazon’s inventors have kicked it… Read More

How do you service a computer server? Send in the robots, Amazon patent says

Does something need checking out in your data center? Before you send out a technician, why not send out a… Read More