Consultant

April 15, 2014

3D vs. 2D Printing: Similarities in Technical Details

3D printing is the process of making an object out of some material, often plastic. 2D printing, or just simply, printing, is the process of putting an image on paper. They appear to be two different processes. Internally, however, the technical workings behind both types of printing have some strong […]
April 30, 2014

Trade Secret Misappropriation of Software

A trade secret is something that provides an advantage to the company that owns it. It could be formulas, software, even lists of names. A trade secret is not disclosed publicly (unlike a patent, see post on patents.) If a company wishes to mark something a trade secret, it must […]
April 30, 2014

Patent Infringement of Software

Patents protect an invention. Unlike copyrights (see post on copyrights), one must apply for a patent by filing with the patent office. If the patent is granted, then the patent holder has exclusive rights to that invention. When an invention is submitted for a patent, it becomes public domain. Others […]
April 30, 2014

Copyright Infringement of Software

Most people have a good understanding of what copyright protection means with regards to written words, such as a book or an article. Those same protections also apply to software source code. Suppose I write some software in C as follows: y = 0; for (i=1; i<=x; i++) y += […]
July 12, 2016
Insulation cut away to expose the +5V wire

Not All USB Cables Are Created Equal

Could you be wasting money on the next USB cable you buy? It’s possible. Maybe even probable. Recently I needed to monitor the current flow through a USB cable charging the battery in a USB device as part of a patent claim analysis. I used an oscilloscope with data-collection capabilities […]
July 28, 2016
Traffic through construction zone

Can Autonomous Cars Make Split Decisions?

While many people wonder if they’re ready for self-driving cars, maybe we ought to be asking, “Are autonomous cars ready for us to use?” With almost daily headlines about such cars getting into accidents, it’s clear that they still struggle to discern conflicting data which we humans even struggle resolving. […]
September 29, 2016
Semi Truck on a Highway

Limit Conditions for Autonomous Trucks

A few companies are working on developing autonomous long-haul trucks for freeways. Articles here, here, and here mention the following as some of the driving (pun intended) factors for this technology: A driver shortage exists. Old drivers are retiring faster than new ones are joining. Trucks can stay on the […]
December 31, 2016
Kai Kloeofer and his smart gun.

The Smarter Gun May Resolve a Long-Standing Policy Debate

In 2016, there will be nearly 30,000 injuries and 15,000 deaths from gun misfirings. These injuries and deaths have radically changed the lives of all their families. Gun control is a hot topic politically, and trying to balance the Second Amendment while trying to minimize accidental deaths and injuries is […]