Hydrogen Technology Inventions and the World Hydrogen Summit

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Jane Lambert

The World Hydrogen Summit will take place at Rotterdam Ahoy between 20 and 22 May 2025.  It will consist of a conference and an exhibition (see the conference programme, the list of speakers and the list of exhibitors).  This event will be of particular interest to the residents of Anglesey (described by their local authority as "Energy Island") because Menter Môn will represent Wales in Rotterdam (see press release 14 May 2025 Ynys Môn to represent Wales at World Hydrogen Summit 2025).

The importance of this source of energy was highlighted in the European Patent Office's press release of 10 Jan 2023 to announce the publication of Hydrogen patents for a clean energy future - A global trend analysis of innovation along hydrogen value chains, a joint report by the European Patent Office and the International Energy Agency.   António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office, said:

"Harnessing the potential of hydrogen is a key part of Europe's strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050...."

 Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, added:

"Hydrogen from low-emissions sources can play an important role in clean energy transitions with potential to replace fossil fuels in industries where few clean alternatives exist, like long-haul transport and fertilizer production,"

According to the press release, the joint report is the most comprehensive and up-to-date study of global trends in hydrogen technologies for 2011-2020.  Patenting related to hydrogen is led by the EU (28%) and Japan (24%), while the US (20%) is the only major innovation centre to lose ground in the past decade.  Within the EU, Germany (11%), France (6%) and the Netherlands (3%) rank first for patenting hydrogen technologies.  Among end-use applications, automotive continues to be the biggest focus of innovators.  The press release stated that start-ups holding patents attracted more than half of the US$10 billion in venture capital investment into hydrogen-related firms in the last decade.

Anyone wishing to discuss this topic may call me on +44 (0)20 7404 5242 during UK office hours or send me a message through my contact page.

I have invented something - What happens next?

By William Heath Robinson - From the Book: William Heath Robinson Inventions,
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39256622

 

Jane Lambert

If you work for a company, university or some other employer in a capacity in which an invention might reasonably be expected from the performance of your duties or you had a special obligation to further your employer's business, any invention you may create in the course of your duties may be claimed by your employer pursuant to s.39 of the Patents Act 1977.  Your reward will be your salary and any perks or  benefits that go with your appointment unless your invention is of outstanding benefit to your employer in which case you may be entitled to an extra reward under s.40,

The position will be different if you are a student and you invent something in the course of your research or studies.   Your university may be entitled to the invention pursuant to a clause in your contract for the right to research or study at your university but you will normally qualify for a share of any royalties or other payments that your university receives from the commercialization of your invention.   

If you made your invention in any other capacity it would be up to you to exploit it.  You can attempt to market it yourself or you can try to license it to a third party.  Neither is easy.  If you choose to make it yourself you have to acquire expertise and resources that inventors are no more likely to possess than anyone else.   If you try to license it you have to persuade a third party that your invention can earn or save that person's business money.   To get you started, here are two articles:

• How to make Money from your Invention - Starting your own Business 15 May 2019 NIPC Invention; and
• How to make Money from your Invention: Licensing 15  Sept 2017 NIPC Invention

You should try to learn from the experience of others.   A good place to find such experience is an inventors' club.  I was saddened to learn recently that one of the clubs that I founded nearly 20 years ago and chaired for many years suspended its meetings during the pandemic and has never revived them.  I consulted the "Inventor's Club" page of the Wessex Region of Technologists and Inventors (formerly the "Wessex Round Table of Inventors" or "WRTI") to see whether the same had happened to other clubs. There were some broken links but I found up-to-date websites for many of those clubs after consulting Google. I also wrote about the Bristol Innovation Group in Bristol Innovation Group: Street2Boardroom on 27 Aug 2020 in NIPC Severn and gave a webinar to Ffiws on 15 April 2020,  I have therefore been able to find inventors clubs in Anglesey with locations in Gwynedd, Birmingham, Bristol. Cambridge, Dudley, East London, Kent, Malvern, Oxford and Southampton,

If there isn't an inventor's club nearby or if the meetings of your local club do not live up to your expectations or needs I should be glad to help you set up a club.  I could draw up a simple constitution and suggest a few guest speakers free of charge.  Over the years I have met a lot of patent and trade mark attorneys, angel and private equity investors, specialist accountants, insurance brokers, product development consultants in all parts of the country.   I should even be happy to address any group you may set up or run a pro bono IP clinic myself.

Finally, two cardinal bits of advice.   The first is to ignore the small ads and spam emails from invention promoters offering to promote your invention for an eye-watering sum. Few have any connections with industry and most offer services that are already offered by your local Business or IP Centre or local enterprise partnership for free.   The second is to keep your invention under wraps until you have obtained optimum legal protection by applying for a patent or otherwise.

Anyone wishing to discuss this article can call me on +44 (0)20 7404 5252 during office hours or send me a message through my contact form. 

Intellectual Property Resources for Inventors and Small Businesses in the USA

Author: Addicted)4
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 unported
Source Wikipedia

Jane Lambert

In a post to the US Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") blog entitled Intellectual property resources in your area, which was published on 24 June 2019, Mr Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO wrote:

"Providing entrepreneurs, small businesses, and independent inventors with access to intellectual property (IP) resources is one of the major priorities for the USPTO. These entities are vital to our country’s economy, but they often don’t have the same resources that larger entities can leverage to protect their innovations. Because of that, the USPTO oversees several programs to assist with free or reduced-cost help in applying for patents, including the Patent Pro Bono Program, the Pro Se Assistance Program, the Certified Law School Clinic Program, and Patent and Trademark Resource Centers. That’s all in addition to the reduced filing fees we charge to small and micro entities."

Entrepreneurs, small businesses and independent inventors are as important to the British (and probably every other advanced country's) economy as they are to the American economy.  At the very least, we can learn from Mr Iancu's blog post.  British inventors and entrepreneurs seeking US patents and trade marks may even be able to take advantage of some of the facilities and resources that Mr Iancu mentions.

USPTO
The USPTO is the intellectual property office for the USA.  Because patents can be granted for new plant varieties under 35 USC § 161 and new, original, and ornamental designs for articles of manufacture under 35 USC § 171 which are equivalent to plant breeders; rights and registered designs in the UK as well as for inventions it performs functions that are carried out by the Plant Varieties Rights Office as well as the Intellectual Property Office in this country. Unlike the IPO, the USPTO has no responsibility for copyright.  There is a separate Copyright Office within the Library of Congress for copyright and related rights in the USA.

Patent Pro Bono Program
Inventors and small businesses that meet certain financial thresholds and other criteria may be eligible for free legal assistance in preparing and filing patent applications under the Patent Pro Bono Program.   This is a nationwide network of independently operated regional programmes that match financially under-resourced inventors and small businesses with volunteer patent attorneys and patent agents.

Pro Se Assistance Programme
"Pro se" is Latin for "on his (or her) own behalf" and refers to what we would call "unrepresented parties", that is to say, inventors or other applicants who file patent applications without the assistance of a US qualified patent attorney or patent agent.   The Pro Se Assistance Program offers a number of services to the public prior to filing, including:

• Dedicated personnel to assist with pre-filing questions including:
• An explanation of different types of application filings
• Assistance with forms completions and filings
• Reviewing application (e.g. Specification, Drawings, and Claims) for compliance with current regulations
• In-person assistance for the general public at USPTO Headquarters at Alexandria in Virginia regarding pre-filing
• Targeted support to connect applicants with relevant resources and information
• Online resources found on pro se assistance programme page. 

The page also contains some very useful videos. It is the resource that inventors and advisors outside the USA are likely to find most useful.

Law School Clinic Certification Program

Participating universities in this programme offer advice and assistance on US patent and trade mark law from selected law students under the supervision of their teachers or other IP professionals. I am delighted to see that the University of California at Los Angeles (which is my alma mater and also that of Mr Iancu) participates in the programme.  A table of universities indicating the services they offer, the geographical area that they cover and the contact details of the organizer appears on the programme page.

Patent and Trademark Resource Centers

These seem to be like our Business and IP Centres. Many are located in public libraries and provide classes and workshops as well as patent specifications, law reports, textbooks and other specialist publications to subscribers.  Some run or host inventors' clubs.  Los Angeles Public Library, for instance, offers:

"computerized searching of patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Library users perform their own searches. Computers are available on a first-come, first served basis. Ask library staff for instructions on use. Use of intellectual property databases is free, but printing is $.25 per page. We also have collections in print and microfilm. During regular library hours, we provide some assistance by telephone at 213-228-7220."

There is a lot of general information on patents, trade secrets, trade marks and other IP rights on the library's web page.  The USPTO lists patent and trade mark resource centres on its PTRC locations by state web page.

Anybody wishing to discuss this article or the resources available to inventors and SME in this or any other country should call me during office hours on +44 (0)20 7404 5252 or send me a message through my contact form.