

Ask HN: Innovating under pressure - SapphireSun

Hey guys,<p>I'm currently taking a class where we are supposed to invent thing. There are many problems with it. 
However, most unavoidably, no matter how many ideas I come up with, a google patent search turns out an applicable application.<p>I know that the ethos here is that everyone can come up with lots of ideas and turn it into a company, but have any of you ever run into this problem? What should I do?<p>Thanks for any advice guys!
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sam_in_nyc
Unless your class is to "invent a company," I wouldn't sweat the fact that
there are patents on the ideas you've come up with. At any rate, I've been
told that it's not too hard to differentiate your idea enough to file a new
patent yourself. If you can significantly improve the existing patent, or
implement it through different means, then you should be alright. Of course,
it wouldn't hurt to have an awesome IP lawyer.

I have no personal experience on the matter of patents other than filing a
provisional patent.

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SapphireSun
I've said this in another of my replies, but the major problem isn't that we
need to invent something ( that is easy ). We need to change the world
somehow.

Making an incremental improvement on a patent isn't allowed, (despite the
disconnect with the real world). I suppose some of my problem is that this is
an extremely high bar. We are trying to find a major problem in the world to
solve that hasn't been solved that we could feasibly examine within the time
frame of a few months.

Perhaps this isn't the best forum to ask this question in because everyone
here is an entrepreneur. If they knew of such a problem, they would be working
on it themselves :-). If someone feels generous though, I would welcome any
advice on where to look!

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jwilliams
Maybe it's easier to come up with an improvement to an existing invention?
It's still an invention in either case... Just pick something you're familiar
with and brainstorm the issues with it (and possible innovative solutions
naturally).

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SapphireSun
Part of the problem is that the professor does not want just _any_ invention,
he wants us to "change the world". We have to find a major problem in the
world, and invent something to deal with it.

His standards seem to be very arbitrary as to what qualifies. Does anyone here
knows of a major problem in the world ( other than obvious ones like
generically unclean water )? Finding these through web searches is difficult
to say the least :-)

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Tangurena
I recommend you take a weekend and read up on TRIZ.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIZ>

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SapphireSun
This is very interesting. Thank you for the link!

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trapper
What subject areas are you interested in the most?

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SapphireSun
Personally, I would love to invent something for space, but I doubt that it
would fly in my class.

We are focusing on energy production, but so many people are working in this
area that there are very few low hanging fruit left.

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trapper
Whats your email address? If you want to be able to patent it I can give you a
start on a few ideas that haven't been done.

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SapphireSun
Thank you! I would would love to hear your ideas so long as they won't
jeopardize your own goals :-)

I updated my profile to show a slightly garbled email address.

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trapper
I have no plans to commercialize many of my ideas. Hundreds just sit in
envelopes & notebooks.

I can't figure out the "hack" you speak of in your profile. Viewing source
makes no difference - there is no additional information to work with? Perhaps
I am missing something?

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SapphireSun
I changed it to a standard format. Sorry about that!

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trapper
Umm... it's still missing?

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SapphireSun
I just realized that the email field isn't shown so pg can see them but other
people can't for people applying to YC.

Sorry about that. I put it in my profile now.

