The Wacky World of U.S. Patents

A U.S. patent is endowed by government on the basis that the product meets three particular criteria. It has to be unique, something that is not an obvious invention, and-here is where it gets murky-it also has to have a real and specific use. America has produced some pretty dang ol' useful inventions through the years: the TV, the computer, and barbed wire just to name the most important. The history of the US Patent Office is one that has seen things nobody ever thought would sell and become permanent fixtures on the landscape, as well as things that perhaps on their inventors ever actually used.

Quote from a genius number 1: "The radio craze will die out in time." Thomas Edison, 1922.

Patent No. 3,793,483
Video gamers rejoice. This particular patent is probably the most important of your life. For this is the patent number awarded to the Atari for their creation of the original video game sensation: Pong. The fact that this was, indeed, the granddaddy of all of today's video games can be seen in one of the instructions that was included in the patient form: Players should "Avoid missing ball for high score."

Patent No. 1,370,316
The great escape artist and magician Harry Houdini received this patent for what he called a Diver's Suit that allowed anyone wearing it to engage in a little Houdiniesque quick escape by ridding himself of the suit while underwater to facilitate a safe and quick rise to the surface.

Quote from a genius number 2. "640K ought to be enough for anybody." Bill Gates. 1981, in reference to how much memory a computer would ever require for the personal user.

Patent No. 6,060,700
In one episode of The Simpsons, Homer Simpson has discovered that the secret to a contented existence involves being able to cook while driving. Well, Homer Simpson, allow me to introduce you this patent, which is for a microwave oven that comes with a removable storage cassette in the dashboard. In this way, you can cook a burrito while having a spot to store your hot sauce and Mountain Dew. Maybe not as crazy as it sounds, eh?