
USPTO issues 10 millionth patent [pdf] - kjhughes
https://10millionpatents.uspto.gov/docs/patent10million.pdf
======
kjhughes
US Patent and Trademark Office today issued the 10 millionth utility patent to
Joseph Marron and Raytheon, for _Coherent LADAR Using Intra-Pixel Quadrature
Detection._

The numbering system dates back to 1836.

See also coverage across the web:

\- USPTO announcement: _U.S. Patent 10 Million_ :
[https://10millionpatents.uspto.gov/patent-10-million.html](https://10millionpatents.uspto.gov/patent-10-million.html)

\- Law.com: _Raytheon Is Owner of Landmark 10 Millionth Patent From USPTO_ :
[https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2018/06/19/raytheon-is-
owner...](https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2018/06/19/raytheon-is-owner-of-
landmark-10-millionth-patent-from-uspto/?slreturn=20180519161946)

\- Government Executive: _Patent Office Celebrates 10-Millionth Award as
Inventors Complain_ : [https://www.govexec.com/technology/2018/06/patent-
office-cel...](https://www.govexec.com/technology/2018/06/patent-office-
celebrates-10-millionth-award-inventors-complain/149131/)

\- CNN Money: _In tech, patents are trophies -- and these companies are
dominating_ : [http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/19/technology/tech-
patents/inde...](http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/19/technology/tech-
patents/index.html)

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bloak
It's a shame patent 10000000 isn't something fun like US6368227B1 ("Method of
swinging on a swing"). Someone should have submitted a carefully timed
application for a patent that covers using one's top hat to bail out a bathtub
when the plug is jammed and the taps won't turn off, for example.

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AnimalMuppet
Given the variable lag time between application and granting of a patent (on
the order of months), even with the most careful timing, this seems unlikely
to work.

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Willson50
Maybe this is a sign that there are too many patents.

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omarchowdhury
The first U.S. patent was issued in 1790, signed by President George
Washington. The current numbering system started 182 years ago. Which means
150 patents granted per day (400 a day in recent years). Is that a lot?

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ab_1717
Dividing the total number of patents by 182 years masks some of the realities.
Namely, there are significantly more patent grants in the past decade compared
to any other. For example, 2015 had 325,979 patent grants, compared to 2005
with 157,718. There's a pretty clear trend, see
[https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/us_stat.ht...](https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/us_stat.htm).

~~~
brlewis
That's a great resource. I notice there's a 31% jump from 1997 to 1998.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Street_Bank_%26_Trust_Co...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Street_Bank_%26_Trust_Co._v._Signature_Financial_Group,_Inc).

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madengr
I thought it was LIDAR? At least I don't know of a LIDAR not using a LASER.

~~~
a5huynh
I believe LIDAR and LADAR are interchangeable since it's based on a
portmanteau of `light`/`laser` and `radar`

