Intellectual Property in the Classroom PI Institute – January 16, 2003 Dr. Stephen Boedo Department of Mechanical Engineering

Topics in Mechanical Engineering: Creative Design and Inventive Problem Solving Received a Provost’s Innovation Grant in AY to develop a pilot course to introduce students to the process of inventive problem solving Student teams develop inventive solutions to problems via brainstorming and TRIZ concepts Emphasis is on the process of invention from conception to preparation of a patent disclosure Currently 15 students in the class, 4 student teams

Course features Non-disclosure agreements --- RIT students have complete rights to their inventions Deliverable is a patent disclosure suitable for a patent attorney Patent disclosures are presented to an RIT Technical Review Panel (TRP) for their opinions on further action. The TRP is for the students’ benefit only, as RIT cannot serve as an assignor of any patent rights from the students Student teams keep bound notebooks for design ideas (document record) Grading is a combination of presentations, self-evaluation, and feedback from the TRP

What is TRIZ? TRIZ is a systematic method developed by Genrich Altshuller to guide the process of inventive problem solving The TRIZ method provides guidelines for potential improvement by providing the proper set of inventive principles to resolve technical contradictions associated with inventive problems Invention and creativity remain with the inventor --- TRIZ simply helps open up the possibilities

Engineering is the Practice of Solving Problems Two Types of Problems: Type 1: Those with generally known solutions Type 2: Those with generally unknown solutions

Type 1: Those with generally known solutions typically follow the pattern shown below: Analogous standard problem My problem Analogous standard solution My solution

Type 2:Those with generally unknown solutions --- these are called inventive problems Typically fallen into the field of psychology where the links between the brain and insight/innovation are studied Methods of brainstorming, diverse design teams have evolved The problem with inventive problem solving is the effect of “psychological inertia”, where the solutions being considered are within one’s own experience and do not look at alternative technologies to develop new concepts

Altshuller’s 40 Inventive Principles attempt to resolve technical contradictions Developed a Table of Contradictions to choose the appropriate Inventive Principles Table is a 39 X 39 Matrix X-axis is the Characteristic that is getting worse Y-axis is the Characteristic that needs to be improved Intersection gives the appropriate Inventive Principles to improve the technical system

Course structure: Week 1Form design teams, sign non-disclosure agreements, historical perspectives on technology change, the Deep Dive video Week 2Lectures on patents and intellectual property, patent structure, use of patent search engine Week 3Preliminary team presentations of brainstorming ideas Week 4Introduction to TRIZ method of inventive problem solving

Course structure: Week 5Preliminary invention disclosures due Week 6-7Revisions Week 8In-class presentations of invention disclosures Week 9Self-evaluation meetings, final drafts due Week 10Presentation to Technical Review Panel

Patent Disclosure Format Cover Page Abstract of the Invention Prior Art Description of the Invention Invention Process (added for this course only) Claims References Appendices

Responsibilities of the TRP 4 written disclosures (1 from each team) will be distributed to the TRP on Friday, February 14th --- TRP members will need to sign non-disclosure agreements prior to receiving them Student teams will present disclosures to TRP on Monday, February 17th and Wednesday, February 19th from 8 am to 10 am, Room 9/2260 TRP will review 4 design team presentations: 2 on Monday and 2 on Wednesday Each TRP will submit an evaluation form by the following week

TRP members are needed! If interested in joining, please contact Steve Boedo at or