The Eureka Method: How to Think Like an Inventor

Description

Fuel your "Eureka!" moments and become a successful inventor

Envision breakthrough new products using the proven methods and applied reasoning techniques of today's successful inventors. The Eureka Method: How to Think Like an Inventor lays out a systematic approach to innovation. Discover how to look at social developments and trends to find new ways of combining and improving existing technologies and systems. Plain-language examples of real-world patents, products, and inventors illuminate each point along the way.

Find out how to:
* Gain regular flashes of inspiration based on your understanding of the inventive process
* Improve and expand existing products in ways that fill social needs
* Fuse elements from different products into new and useful combinations
* Discover new opportunities by side-stepping rules and gaming the system
* "Futurize" your inventions and prevent them from becoming obsolete
* Identify emerging regulations and use them to your creative advantage
* Learn about comprehensive patent applications that protect your rights

CONTENTS:

Part I: Thinking Like an Inventor
Chapter 1. The Three Questions That Should Follow a Eureka! Moment
Chapter 2. Improvement Inventions
Chapter 3. Developing an Inventive Mindset by Gaming the System
Chapter 4. Increasing Dimensions to Spark Eureka! Moments
Chapter 5. Combination Inventions
Part II: Seeking a Eureka! Moment
Chapter 6. Law, Regulation, and Standards
Chapter 7. Overcoming and Using Constraints
Chapter 8. Be Driven by the Bottom Line
Part III: Appendixes
Appendix A. Patents: Mileposts of Invention
Appendix B. U.S. Patent 6004596 "Sealed Crustless Sandwich"
Appendix C. Inventors and Inventorship
Index