Patents can be granted for unoriginal inventions if prior art outside of the patent literature is missed such as free and open source software and hardware. The Open Source Hardware Association created a certification database that could be used for prior art, but it misses inventions that are not commercialized. To capture these technologies, this study describes a novel tool that is a semi-automated way of applying for certification from MediaWiki websites. A case study using Appropedia, found that transfer of information needed to obtain OSHWA certification could be completed on average in 62.5% less than direct form filling.
Highlights[edit | edit source]
- Patents granted for unoriginal inventions if prior art outside of the patent literature missed.
- Misses most of free and open source software and hardware - number in millions.
- Open Source Hardware Association created a certification database - centralized prior art.
- Novel tool has a semi-automated way of certification from MediaWiki websites.
- OSHWA certification completed on average in 62.5% less than direct form filling.
Keywords[edit | edit source]
Intellectual property; Prior art; Open hardware; Automation; Certification; data management; knowledge; data management practices; open source software; free software; knowledge mobilization, Open Source, Open Source Hardware, Innovation, free and open source hardware; FOSH; free and open source software; open design; open hardware; open science; open scientific hardware; OScH; communication studies, communication, information technology, information science, libraries, science, knowledge, technology, sociology
See also[edit | edit source]
- Open Source Database and Website to Provide Free and Open Access to Inactive U.S. Patents in the Public Domain
- A Case for Weakening Patent Rights
- Patent Parasites: Non-Inventors Patenting Existing Open-Source Inventions in the 3-D Printing Technology Space
- The Rise of Platinum Open Access Journals with both Impact Factors and Zero Article Processing Charges
- From Open Access to Open Science: The Path From Scientific Reality to Open Scientific Communication
- Professors Want to Share: Preliminary Survey Results on Establishing Open Source Endowed Professorships
- Canadian professors' views on establishing open source endowed professorships
- Sponsored Libre Research Agreements to Create Free and Open Source Software and Hardware
- Towards national policy for open source hardware research: The case of Finland
- Open Source Lab
- Quantifying the Value of Open Source Hardware Development
- Building Open Source Hardware in Academia
- Building research equipment with free, open-source hardware
- Economic Savings for Scientific Free and Open Source Technology: A Review
- Free and Open-Source Automated Open Access Preprint Harvesting
- Appropedia:OSHWA Certification tool design