Patent Engineering

Preface

For 33 years, I conducted research in digital printing at Eastman Kodak. While this field was certainly chronologically mature, having been around since Chester Carlson first invented xerography in the 1930s and having been the subject of much research and development by many companies over that period, the advent of modern digital electronics presented both novel opportunities and challenges in this technological area.

Several years before I retired from Kodak, I was asked to transition from the role of an independent researcher to that of an intellectual property manager for digital printing. In that position, I was involved with generating and maintaining patents that protected Kodak’s proprietary technology, asserting patents against allegedly infringing companies, prosecuting patent applications, implementing cross-licensing agreements, and related activities. During that period of time, I had the privilege of working with world-class engineers, scientists, and technicians, as well as an outstanding legal team comprising attorneys, patent agents, and paralegals.

The technology advanced by Kodak’s technical team members was highly innovative and allowed electrophotography to go from being limited to office copiers to its rivaling both silver halide photography and offset printing in quality, reliability, and speed, while being able to integrate the capabilities of the digital era with hard-copy printing. Invention disclosures were submitted by the members of the technical ...