
Consider a Spherical Patent: IP and Patenting in Technology Business
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not only the core patents but improvement patents and commercialization imple-
mentation patents.
To be sure, lots of companies have patents that include DMDs. But Texas
Instruments has the core patents, not to mention a large number of improve-
ment and commercial implementation patents. For example, Figure13.2 shows
the rst page of US Patent No. 5,247,180, which was led in December 1991 and
is directed to a “stereolithographic apparatus and method of use.”
A stereolithography apparatus is used for rapid prototyping and forms three-
dimensional (3D) objects by building up ...