RETURN to News Archive ================================================== Copyright(c) 1998-2004 GEN-ERIC Channel.  All rights reserved. GEN-ERIC Patent News Tuesday, September 7, 2004 ================================================== Use Quick Links to Access any Area of Interest Headlines News Patents of the Day Access Official Gazette and Notices Patents Available for Licensing Patent Related Opportunities Printer Friendly Version ================================================== HEADLINES   (patents issued a few hours ago..) The Brushing Habit Patent of the Day goes to Unilever Home & Personal Care USA division of Conopco, Inc. of Connecticut for a Toothbrush usage monitoring system The Eternal Flame Patent of the Day goes to an Independent Inventor from Arizona for a Decorative urn for use as a lighted memorial     Index ================================================== NEWS P&G sues Coca-Cola for patent violation http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040903-063611-1335r.htm Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co. is suing soft drink maker Coca-Coca Co. for patent infringement, the Cincinnati Post reported Friday. The consumer products company says former partner Coke used P&G-patented preservatives in some Minute Maid products. The case was filed this week in a Cincinnati federal court. P&G also filed a suit against Coke in 2002 for adding calcium to its Minute Maid brand orange juice. That suit is still in progress. In 2001, the two companies had planned a joint snack-and-juice venture spinoff with products from both companies, but Coke pulled out of the deal later in 2001.     Index Pfizer Sues Internet Sites Selling Lipitor http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&ncid=751&e=3&u=/nm/20040902/hl_nm/health_pfizer_lipitor_dc Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, said on Thursday it filed lawsuits against 18 Web sites, charging them with selling illegal versions of its best selling cholesterol medicine Lipitor. The New York-based drug maker said it is suing the operators to combat Web selling of unapproved copies of Lipitor, marketed as "generic Lipitor." The suits over Lipitor, the first prescription drug topping $10 billion in annual sales, follow similar actions filed in April and May over the drug. The most recent suits were filed in the U.S. District Court in Delaware. The suits accuse 10 sites of patent infringement and seek injunctions against further sale of the products.     Index Novartis wins Lamisil Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Dr. Reddy's http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040903/ukf005_1.html Novartis announced today that it has prevailed in its US patent infringement lawsuit with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited of Hyderabad, India, regarding Novartis' widely prescribed oral antifungal agent Lamisil TabletsŪ (terbinafine hydro-chloride). Lamisil is the leading prescription treatment to effectively treat onychomycosis, a fungal infection that commonly affects the toes or fingernails. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories has withdrawn its challenge to a Lamisil patent held by Novartis, conceding that it is valid, enforceable and had been infringed by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories.     Index ================================================== PATENTS OF THE DAY 6,786,732 Toothbrush usage monitoring system Abstract:  A method is proposed for analysing the usage of a toothbrush made by a subject. The position of the toothbrush is monitored using a position sensor on the brush, and the position of the teeth is monitored by a position sensor mounted in a known fixed relation to the teeth. The resultant data is used to find the relative positions of the toothbrush and teeth over time. Statistical analysis of this data permits the identification of habitual brushing failures by subjects of the toothbrush. The toothbrush may transmit the output of its position sensor to a data analysis unit as a wireless signal. The toothbrush may also be provided with further sensors, such as pH and pressure sensors, the output of which is used in the statistical analysis to enrich the results.     Index 6,785,939 Decorative urn for use as a lighted memorial Background:  The devotion of a long term pet to its owner has created a corresponding interest in providing a suitable and tasteful way of keeping the memory of the departed pet fresh in the mind of the owner. While the display of a photograph serves as a reminder, it is generally limited in evoking a memory beyond that of the particular scene portrayed. A static display, such as a photograph or an artifact associated with a particular event, lacks the emotional impact of a memorial display containing the physical remains of the pet. The retention of cremation ashes in the home environment is an ever increasing way of promoting the feeling in the owners that the pet is still with the spirit in the home. The coupling of a storage receptacle for the cremation ashes along with an active display of light is thought to broaden and enhance the impact of knowing that the remains of the pet rests therein. It is felt that the association of an active light, such as a flame, with a suitable display structure that magnifies the effect of the flame, not only draws attention to the urn but suggests life itself. As a result, the pet owner having the ashes included in an active display is continually reminded of an active pet and its activities throughout its life. Abstract:  A decorative urn for storing cremation ashes in a lighted two part container. The base section receives an ash-containing receptacle and supported thereon is a top section including a recessed wick structure and full reservoir. The sections are light transmissive so that light from the wick imparts a glow throughout the urn.     Index ================================================== ACCESS OFFICIAL GAZETTE AND NOTICES Access this week's Official Gazette http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/patog/week36/OG/index2.htm Excerpt from OG Notices Rules of Practice Before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences Fiscal Year 2004 BPAI Dispositions by Technology Centers Ex Parte Appeals     Index ================================================== PATENTS AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING to Learn More or to List a Patent Plug-and-play smart data cable The invention includes a smart, plug-and-play cable capable of transparently translating between two different communication protocols. The cables are "plug-and-play" such that two devices can be coupled together for communication without the requirement that the user perform any special set-up steps in order for it to work. To implement this plug-and-play functionality, the smart cable of the present invention determines which communication protocols are required at each of its ports, and selects, activates, enables, or downloads the appropriate communication protocol drivers to enable proper operation. Electric shaver having orbitally moving blades An electric shaver includes blades which while rotating around their own centers also orbit around another axis, thus providing that the blades sweep a large area. Implantable fuel cell This invention makes use of an electrostrictive material to increase the efficiency of a fuel cell as used for the production of power within a human.     Index ================================================== EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to List a Job Patent Related Jobs from Monster Patent Related Jobs from www.IntelPropLaw.com     Index ================================================== GEN-ERIC Channel