Public Collectors Patent Observations: Issue 1

The first in a series of three publications created by Public Collectors administrator Marc Fischer in response to a spreadsheet of over 34,000 patent applications by Los Angeles area inventors from 1976-2024. Each issue presents a series of findings, organized into playful categories. The contents of each issue are completely different. From the introduction: There are three types of patents: utility patents (how an invention works), design patents (“the visual ornamental characteristics embodied in, or applied to, an article of manufacture”), and plant patents (for when someone wants to legally protect a new species of plant).  The Los Angeles Central Library is a public library that serves as an official U.S. Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC), as designated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Central Library has a librarian on staff (interviewed in this publication) that can assist patrons with their research.  Patent Observations is a serial publication b