Ideas, Inventions, and Patents: How to Develop ... - ACS Publications

Ideas, Inventions, and Patents: How to Develop and Protect Them (Buckles, Robert A.) Philip Hill. J. Chem. Educ. , 1958, 35 (6), p A281. DOI: 10.1021/...
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After finishing this hook, more serious students will he adequately prepared to continue their study with the sequel to this work, "The Design and Analysis of Industrial Experiments," by the same editor [reviewed in J. CHEM. EDUC., 32, 654 (1955)l. LLOYD 6. NELSON GENERAL EGGCTRIC LAMPDIYI~ION CL~"EL*ND 12. OHIO

IDEAS. INVENTIONS. AND PATENTS: HOW T O DEVELOP AND PROTECT

THEM Robert A. Buckles, New York Bar. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1957. xi 270 pp. 15 X 23.5 cm. $5.95.

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T o TEE typical chemist or engineer, a patent is a formidable legal document. Nevertheless, patents are important to our technological progress. They encourage inventors to disclose new technical infarmation in return far the right t o bar others from using it for 17 years. Patents are truly scientific literature, although too often overlooked by the scientist in his search far hroad knowledge of his chosen field. This hook successfully accomdishes a worth" Durnose "to heln teehmsttere." The author is a graduate engineer as well as a patent attorney. His dual hackground has enabled him to present legal principles and practices concisely and in the simple and clear terms expected of a scientist. The text is easilv read and the coverage is unusually broad. Thc illustrations complement the text well; frequent excerpts from actual patents help to develop a needed familiarity with patent format. The early chapters deal with the philosophy of the patent system, tests for determining patentability, and "negative2' rules of invention that define indirectly by stating limitatiom that preclude invention. Two especially useful chapters discu~show to plan a patent program and how to keep the patent records so vital to establishing priority. The roles of the patent attorney as aolicitor, counselor, and advocate for the inventor are clearly spelled out. A key chapter discusses the heart of the patent-the claims, which are precise definitions by which the inventor protects his "intellectud property." Here, the author carefully explains the technique of developing and interpreting broad claims together with narrower, more-specific ones. Claims must he understood before infringement prohlems can he recognized or avoided. A rovealing chapter an What Happens in the Patent Office? takes the reader through eaoh step in the prosecution of s. recent patent application. The inventor's problems and the attorney's reasoning are lucidly discussed. All of the official papers-the office actions and responseare shown and explained. This graphic treatment shoiild both instruct and r e assure the novice inventor. Remaining chapters deal with uses of patents, licenses, trade secrets, eopy(Continued on page A888)

VOLUME 35, NO.

6, KINE, 1958

rights and trsdcmarks, and special pprob lems arising in interference proceedings where legal priority of invention is determined. A glossary of terms common in patent law is appended, together with samples of legal documents that must accompany patent applications. The thorough readcr can learn much from this hook, but ho should not, feel encouraged to embark on a. ''d~~ibyoura-~~lf'' project. The aut,hor's efforts will he amply rewarded if his book develops a closor understanding between the seient i ~ and t his patent counsel. PHILIP RILL S m n o m o OIL COPPINY OF. ~ N D I A N *

WH~TINU. INDI*N*

L'ANALYSE QUALITATIVE ET LES REACTIONS EN SOLUTION

G Charlot, P~.ofessorof Analytical Chemistry, h o l e Superieure de Physique et de Chemie d e Paris. Fourth Edition. Masson et Cie, Paris, 1957. xi 3 6 5 pp. 91 figs. 17 X 2 5 cm. Paper bound 3000 h. Bound in board. 3600 fr.

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"L'ANALYSEQualitative" is an outstanding book on qualitative analysis and ionic reactions in solution. The review of the book, however, is diffioult because it is safe to assume that any book written in French is unusable as a text in an American university and that even most graduate chemists will avoid books written in foreign languages unless the information they contain cannot be readily obtained elsewhere. The greatest potential sale for this hook among English speaking readers will be to those persons who want an authoritative reference on the principles and methods of qualitative inorganic analysis. The book presents s. wealth of information about the properties of the various elements. In all, 65 elements (including the rm-earths as a single element) are considered. In each case, remarkably complete tables of equilibrium constants and oxidation reduction potentids are included. Numerous figures are presented showing the relationships between solubility and pH. Likewise, potential-pH diagrams are given for many redox systems. As a matter of interest, i t might be painted out that this book is considerably more thorough than the average American qualitative analysis textbook. The emphasis is placed on the physieal-chemical approach and the fundamental properties of matter are stressed in such a way that chemical properties and sssoeiz+ted analytical procedures becomo understandable through theoretical eonmpts. The book is divided into three parts, the first of which presents a generd survey of chemical principles, including eonsideration of t,hn composition of matter, bonding, and equilibrium concepts and their application to vsrious types of homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria. The second part of the book is the one that would be of greateat interest to most American chemists. This section deals with the chemical properties and char(Continued on page Ag84) JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION