Microsoft has filed a patent application for a smart phone dock. “The application for a "smart interface system" proposes a dock that would support display output, Ethernet or wireless networking, and a USB hub for peripherals like keyboards or external hard drives.”

The University of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against Galen Suppes, a chemical engineering professor, on the grounds of hiding discoveries, falsifying documents and selling inventions that the University states rightly belongs to the University. In his defence, Suppes states that the University was not interested in his inventions, “The only time they showed interest is when I informed them that royalties had been paid. Then, the main thing they could focus on was to try to get the royalties”.

Suppes received the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the Environmental Protection Agency two years ago for his discovery of ‘transforming a byproduct of biodiesel - glycerin - into a useful antifreeze’.

According to the WIPO press note dated Jan 27, 2009, the WIPO stated, “International patent filings under WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) grew by 2.4% in 2008, to nearly 164,000 applications. While the rate of growth was modest, as compared to an average 9.3% rate of growth in the previous three years, the total number of applications for 2008 represents the highest number of applications received under the PCT in a single year.”

Mr. Francis Gurry, Director General of WIPO, states that “Historically, patent filings tend to dip during periods of economic difficulty simply because fewer resources are available for investment in the innovation cycle. Once the economic cycle improves, patenting activity tends also to recover.” Mr. Gurry encourages innovation in these troubled times and states, “In the current economic climate, technology, innovation and creativity are critical in creating opportunities for economic renewal and addressing pressing global issues such as climate change.”

Bridgelux, Inc. announced the grant of a US patent for its ‘surface mountable chip (SMC) LED design’. ‘The Bridgelux SMC LED design will enable manufacturers to bond the chip directly onto the printed circuit board (PCB), eliminating the need for an additional substrate or traditional LED package’.

The company formerly known as eLite Optoelectronics, Inc., was founded in 2002 and has its headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. Bridgelux, Inc. is known for developing energy saving power-light emitting diode (LED) solutions. The company currently holds 75 US patents and more than 130 patents worldwide.

The World Intellectual Property office has published several guides on intellectual property to assist small and medium businesses. Some of these are, a guide on patents titled, "Inventing the Future: An Introduction to Patents for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises"a guide on trademarks titled, "Making a Mark: An Introduction to Trademarks for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises", ”, and a guide on industrial designs titled, "Looking Good:  An Introduction to Industrial Designs for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises".

On Jan 15, 09 the United States Patent and Trademark Office ruled against the virtual sub domain patent of Hoshiko on the ground of obviousness by rejecting all 20 claims of the patent application. Sub domains generally refer to ‘domains hosted within larger domains’. Idea Flood filed for the patent in 1999 and since then brought infringement proceedings against Google and other companies. Idea Flood has also threatened other internet sites such as LiveJournal and Freehomepage.com. The company transferred its patent rights to Hoshiko soon after these lawsuits came to a close. Hoshiko has been given two months to convince the PTO to reverse its ruling.