Inventors Wanted by History Channel

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EdZiomek

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As I have posted on two other international discussion forums...

From the "History Channel" website... http://www.historychannel.com/invent/

"Presented by The History Channel(tm); and Invent Now(tm);, Inc., a division of the National Inventors Hall of Fame(tm); Foundation, the Modern Marvels Invent Now(tm); Challenge is an extraordinary opportunity for independent inventors to influence the ever-changing face of invention. Twenty-five semi-finalists will exhibit their invention ideas at a national exposition and will participate in a full day seminar with renowned invention experts. Four finalists will additionally win cash grants and be featured on The History Channel®. The 2006 Modern Marvel of the Year winner will receive all the Challenge benefits as well as a $25,000 grant toward making their invention idea a reality."

https://www.inventnow.org/InventNow/do/homepage

My comment:
$25,000??? First prize $25,000?

What does that buy me in New York?

Pastrami on Rye? Hold the Mayo?

What does that buy someone in Tokyo? Lunch and cab ride?

The British government once ran a contest for anyone to invent a chronometer, the last piece of the navigational puzzle that would unlock the shipping lanes and world trade for England. The prize, in today's dollars... $1 Billion dollars... PS... I don't know if John Harrison, the inventor, ever collected.

http://users.etown.edu/k/kleesa/media/VIPwebpage.htm

As I discussed on www.DesignCommunity.com, I happen to believe in the History Channel, and A&E, and the Biography Channel, and yes, the competition... Discovery Channel, as the finest educational video pieces in the world today. I believe these same educational contents are broadcast into ??? how many foreign languages and broadcast venues?... Why not "up the ante" to something respectable?

Why not 178 country prizes, for best idea from... Sudan, best idea from Thailand, best idea from ??? South Africa!

Why not $25,000 per country winner, plus individual honors, plus patent rights and royalties? Comes to $5.0 million dollars... isn't that two 30 second Super Bowl commercials!?!

Any ideas from your corner of the world? Yes, maybe its a great idea... but please... $25,000....???!!!
 
The History Channel does not have pockets as deep as the British Government, and last I checked they couldn't afford to run any commercials for the superbowl. 25k might not be a huge prize, but it's nothing to spit on either. Perhaps the publicity would attract a few investors, at the very least.
 
EdZiomek said:
I don't know if John Harrison, the inventor, ever collected.
Click to expand...
Harrison received his reward in 1773, but only after the intervention of King George III. I recommend Dava Sobel's book Longitude, which tells Harrison's story alongside that of Rupert Gould, who restored the clock in the 1920s.

But I agree with you Ed, $25,000 doesn't sound like a lot.
 
CC1...What if they take my idea and give me nothing? Wonderful question!

Thats the big problem, isn't it? In fact, let us say 10,000 people submit ideas, isn't that their intellectual property? And so, 9,975 people get zero recognition and zero money, and 25 get some recognition, maybe a few get some lousy $25,000.

But of the 9,975, I bet 200 or 300 ideas will be produced without ANY monetary gain whatsoever to the inventor, that is my biggest fear.

Or, what they could do... is recognize each one of those 10,000 submissions, with the absolute promise of respecting the intellectual property rights of the sending party. I certainly hope that the History Channel protects the rights of the submitting parties...

And maybe they will, and I just don't know about it?
 
EdZiomek said:
CC1...What if they take my idea and give me nothing? Wonderful question!

Thats the big problem, isn't it? In fact, let us say 10,000 people submit ideas, isn't that their intellectual property? And so, 9,975 people get zero recognition and zero money, and 25 get some recognition, maybe a few get some lousy $25,000.

But of the 9,975, I bet 200 or 300 ideas will be produced without ANY monetary gain whatsoever to the inventor, that is my biggest fear.

Or, what they could do... is recognize each one of those 10,000 submissions, with the absolute promise of respecting the intellectual property rights of the sending party. I certainly hope that the History Channel protects the rights of the submitting parties...

And maybe they will, and I just don't know about it?
Click to expand...

That is what patents are for...If you believe your idea is that good then you get a patent and take it to a company who could use it or present it in an expo (usually costs $100 to show your idea). I patented a rock crusher when I was 18...built it from scratch and was paid a good price from a construction company...it wasn't something that would be mass produced!

As for this idea that you presented? It is an old trick, and one that works and has been used over and over. I see nothing wrong with it...if you fall for it!
 
CC1 ... I seriously complement you and your invention which you patented at age 18. In fact, I am jealous of your success which has evaded me (or maybe I am just lazy!).

But are you saying the History Channel is ok for using "tricks", or is it shame on the unsuspecting persons who submit ideas with the hope of their ideas being protected, when probably, they are not?

With all the latest focus on international intellectual property rights, and certainly the prestige of an American success story like the History Channel, which I think is absolutely top of the transmission positive programming... (maybe in the top 5), I would hope that respect is given for everyone who takes the time to submit an idea.

Maybe integrity is just not a realistic expectation from anyone, or any thing, anymore. Thanks for your comments.
 
My point is that I am sure the people who submit ideas sign some form of waiver which gives all production rights to the firms backing the promotion (not necessarily the History Channel even though their name is used!). The people who go for this, while very smart, are probably lacking the necessary initiative in order to put their products into production. I was 18...I decided to sell my idea and the rights to it rather than try to mass produce it. To mass produce it would have taken a great deal of time and energy on my part and the target audience for my idea was rather small...unless I was able to go global!

The people who opt to do this promotion are more than happy to get the $ sum that is paid to them...then they can opt to use the money to produce other inventions...or (most likely) they will piss the money away because, as I stated earlier, they lack the good judgement and initiative to make the best choice.

It is actually a win-win situation for everyone involved. If the inventor truly believes they have a great idea...they will choose to follow a different path. That is all I am saying.
 
CC1, An International Patent Expert... Yourself?

Hypothetically speaking... let me say that I post your email address on the American website, for "international patenting of ideas".

Someone with an idea contacts you. For a fee, to yourself, you patent the idea in Japan, or have your Japanese international patent attorneys patent the idea, as an "international patent".

Would it work as an international patent? AND THEN, the person should submit the idea to the History Channel? Or would the History Channel be very upset over this method of submission, and frankly, their lack of control over the product and its potential licensing conflicts?

In other words, the idea shows up at History Channel "protected", and therefore, I suspect, it might be officially rejected... ?

Is there such an international service already provided? I have to believe it would be cheaper to patent an international patent overseas rather than the United States. Do you know anyone who provides that service, or could you do it?

Your thoughts?
 
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