Courses:

Course Info

• Course Number / Code:
• 6.931 (Spring 2008) 
• Course Title:
• Development of Inventions and Creative Ideas 
• Course Level:
• Graduate 
• Offered by :
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  Massachusetts, United States  
• Department:
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 
• Course Instructor(s):
• Prof. Robert Rines
  Dr. Dedric Carter 
• Course Introduction:
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• 
  
  6.931 Development of Inventions and Creative Ideas
  
  
  
  

  Spring 2008

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Course Highlights

  
  
  

  
  
  6.931 Development of Inventions and Creative Ideas
  
  
  
  

  Spring 2008

  
  
  

  

  Drawing of Thomas Edison's electric lamp patented on January 27, 1880. (Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.)

  
  
  

  Course Description

  
  
  

  This course examines the role of the engineer as patent expert and as technical witness in court and patent interference and related proceedings. It discusses the rights and obligations of engineers in connection with educational institutions, government, and large and small businesses. It compares various manners of transplanting inventions into business operations, including development of New England and other U.S. electronics and biotechnology industries and their different types of institutions. The course also considers American systems of incentive to creativity apart from the patent laws in the atomic energy and space fields.
  
  

  Acknowledgment

  
  
  

  The instructors would like to thank Joanne Rines and Elijah Ercolino for their efforts in preparing this course.