The Future is Now

GOOD + IBM. The Future is Now: Every Tuesday, thousands of patents are issued in the United States, with more than 250,000 issued in 2012. Patents recognize inventors and protect the originality of their ideas, so they can continue to create the innovations that power the world around us. From the technology you carry in your pocket to the type of flowers in your garden, they've all come from patents. For 20 years running, IBM has been awarded the most U.S. patents with 6,478 issued in 2012 alone. Check out some of their patents below. IMPROVING THE WORLD, ONE PATENT AT A TIME Some of the Brains Behind the Patents Modern Convenience Shopping Made Easy Predicting Mother Nature When natural disaster strikes, supplies Comparison shopping – we all do it, whether YEARS SPENT AT IBM need to reach hundreds and sometimes going between stores, or sale ads or online. 3985493 NUMBERS OF PATENTS HELD even millions of people in a short period of You can thank patent #7,120,595, for the time. Patent #8,285,649 would allow technology to create online comparison distribution centers to cross-reference shopping. It's brought to the world sites like different variables such as the number of Kayak and Shopzilla, where you can quickly compare hundreds of prices at once. JONATHAN H. CONNELL II victims, supplies already en route, and In the future, the UPC Code will help make 24 supply levels at staging areas, to effectively Patent #7,988,045, possible. The patent will 37 determine how to distribute supplies in allow shoppers to pay for items, and add COMPARISON SHOPPING A COMPUTER VISION, BIOMETRICS, ROBOTICS, AI post-disaster situations. to their cart inventory, while navigating the 2006 SHIPPING DISASTER RELIEF SUPPLIES store by scanning an item's barcode and 2012 INTELLIGENT SHOPPING taking a photo on the portable device. Connecting at a checkout station allows 2005 the user to pay- without ever having to put items on a conveyer belt. MYRON D. FLICKNER Every time you're sick or injured a doctor takes notes, and usually, all results will end up in your medical record. But what happens PORTABLE SHOPPING CHECKOUT Are you always forgetting to eat food before to this information when you see multiple A COGNITIVE COMPUTING it expires? Patent #6,965,871 will help you doctors? Patent #7,621,445 will keep all of remember through an online shopping list Shopping with friends and family is nothing new, but imagine if you could surf online PAGE-SHARING SHOPPING that keeps track of expiration dates. This will your medical records together, and available to all providers, in a portable electronic help shoppers know when they need to storage device, organizing them by with a shopping buddy who's a hundred repurchase perishable items. importance - allergies over healed wounds. miles away. Patent #8,266,614, will let you ARUN HAMPAPUR 2011 do just that through a technology that allows two friends to share the same page views from two different locations so they can browse online together. 15 2012 20 PORTABLE HEALTH CARE RECORDS A INDUSTRIES RESEARCH Medical imaging will continue to reach new heights in the future with patent #8,238,624. It describes a hybrid system that can read a variety of technologies such as X-ray, CT scan, and MRI, so that all image SHARATHCHANDRA PANKANTI 18 processing can be done on one system and computer. It would also allow medical If you've ever found yourself battling sleepy 2009 50 eyes while driving, patent #6,236,968 images to be viewable on desktop A EXPLORATORY COMPUTER VISION could help. The technology would create 2012 computers or handheld devices. an automatic dialog system, or artificial passenger, that would talk to you as you HYBRID MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING drive to help keep you awake. If the system NATURAL DISASTER DETECTION SLEEP PREVENTION CAR SYSTEM thinks you sound sleepy, it'll alert you, SOUMYADIP GHOSH or change the subject. VIRTUAL DRIVING DIRECTIONS GPS units have become a popular feature While systems and programs already exist in cars, but no matter where it's placed, you A SMARTER ENERGY, SIMULATION, APPLIED PROBABILITY in the field of meteorology, a recent patent is looking to improve them to better anticipate 2012 still have to take your eyes off the road to see it. Patent #8,244,463 describes a natural events. Patent #7,693,663, is a technology that will project driving directions 2001 computer-driven method for looking at directly onto your windshield, so you don't EDITH H. STERN macro conclusion data from seismic events have to take your eyes away from the road in front of you. to better predict seismic activity down to specific land areas or buildings. 2010 122 On The Road Taking Care A APPLIED MATHEMATICS Sources: U.S. Patent Office, IBM