Name:

Homework Assignment #1

Understanding a Patent

This assignment asks you to read and review the attached patent (the “Google PageRank Patent”) in order to better understand a patent document.  Due:  In class, April 20, 2011.

1. Why did you find this patent interesting?:

2. What’s the Patent Number?:

3. Who is the Inventor(s):

4. What’s the Application No.:

5. Filing Date?:

6. Priority Filing Date: _______________ because:

7. Government Support?: 

8. What prior art was considered by the Examiner?:   (Just count and list the number of “U.S. Patent Documents” and the number of “Other Publications.”)

9. Expiration Date of the Patent?:

10. What claims are independent claims?: 

11. What claims are dependent claims?: 

12. What does this patent protect?

13. If you were trying to "design around" this patent, what would you do?  (To make this a little easier, just focus on independent claim 1 and its dependent claims.)  

14. In your opinion, does the specification contain sufficient disclosure to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter? (please explain why you believe it does or does not):

15. If you worked for a company, and the company was charged with infringing this patent, where would you look in an attempt to locate prior art to invalidate the claims of this patent?: