Fun Facts

IP Fun Fact

Magic Meets Patents

Some of the world’s greatest magicians didn’t just rely on illusion, they turned to the patent system to protect their secrets. Among them was Harry Houdini, one of the most iconic performers in history. Beyond his stagecraft, Houdini secured patents for several of his inventions, blending engineering with escapism. One of his most notable was U.S. Patent No. 1,370,316A, a specially designed diving suit that allowed the wearer to free themselves while submerged and safely resurface. Far from a mere prop, it was a carefully engineered device used in his escape acts.

IP Fun Fact

The Keyboard Designed to Slow You Down

The keyboard layout we use today i.e., the QWERTY keyboard layout was patented in 1878 (US 207559A) by Christopher Latham Sholes. Interestingly, it wasn’t designed for speed, but to slow typists down and prevent mechanical jams in early typewriters. Despite the existence of more efficient alternatives like the Dvorak layout, QWERTY became the global standard due to early adoption and strong network effects. Its widespread use began when E. Remington & Sons started producing the Sholes & Glidden Type Writer in 1874, cementing its place in typing history.

IP Fun Fact

The Trademark That Lost Its Meaning

The word “Aspirin” was once a protected trademark owned by Bayer AG (German multinational life-science company). However, after World War I, Bayer lost its trademark rights in several countries, including the U.S., where “aspirin” became a generic term. This process, called “genericide” also affected brands like “escalator” and “cellophane.” It shows that trademark protection isn’t permanent if the public starts using your brand name as the product itself.

IP Fun Fact

India’s Oldest Surviving Trademark Registration

India’s oldest surviving trademark registration is Trademark No. 10 for the mark “BLACK AND WHITE” in Class 33 (whisky). It was filed on 1 June 1942 on a “proposed to be used” basis and published in Journal No. 1-0 dated 1 September 1943. According to the Trade Marks Registry, the mark remains registered and valid until 1 June 2026. Originating in the pre-independence era, this trademark is among the earliest entries in the Indian Trade Marks Register and reflects remarkable continuity, having been consistently renewed for over 80 years.

IP Fun Fact

The Harvard Mouse was one of the first patented animals

In April 1988, Harvard University received a landmark patent for the “Oncomouse,” marking the first time any country granted patent protection to an animal. This mouse was genetically engineered to be highly prone to developing cancer, making it valuable for research. The approval of this patent paved the way for similar animal patents in the United States and Europe. However, the practice has remained highly controversial, with ongoing debates focusing on ethical issues surrounding the patenting of living beings as well as the economic implications of such rights.

IP Fun Fact

Turmeric Patent Battle: How India Used TKDL to Defeat Biopiracy

India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library played a crucial role in 2011 challenging a foreign patent on turmeric’s healing properties. By proving that turmeric’s medicinal use was already documented in ancient texts, India established prior art and got the patent revoked. Supported by efforts aligned with World Intellectual Property Organization frameworks, this case became a landmark in preventing biopiracy. It demonstrated how documenting traditional knowledge in modern, searchable formats can protect centuries-old practices from being wrongly patented, ensuring that such knowledge remains part of the public domain rather than private monopoly.

IP Fun Fact

The USPTO once granted a patent for a method of exercising a cat using a laser pointer

A surprisingly ordinary way of playing with a cat using a laser pointer to make it chase a moving dot was once the subject of a U.S. patent (Patent No. 5,443,036). The invention describes a method of encouraging a cat to exercise by projecting a bright, focused spot of light, created by a handheld laser onto a surface. By moving this light just out of the cat’s reach, the animal is prompted to chase it around, thereby engaging in physical activity. In simple terms, the patent covers the familiar act of using a laser beam to get a cat to run and play.

IP Fun Fact

The Patent for Swinging on a Swing

It sounds absurd, but a patent was once granted for a specific method of swinging sideways on a swing. Filed in 2002, U.S. Patent No. 6,368,227 described a way of moving a swing in a non-traditional motion. The patent became widely mocked and is often cited as an example of how unusual (and sometimes questionable) patents can slip through the system.

IP Fun Fact

iPhone Name Wasn’t Originally Apple’s

Before  Apple  launched the iPhone, the trademark “iPhone” was actually owned by Cisco. The two companies eventually reached an agreement to share the name. It’s a reminder that even the most iconic product names often come with behind-the-scenes IP negotiations.

IP Fun Fact

The Trademark for a Scream

The movie studio behind Tarzan actually trademarked the famous 2,210,506 “Tarzan yell.” The yell was a creation of the movies based on what Burroughs described in his books as simply “the victory cry of the bull ape.” Owned by  Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., the scream is treated as a distinctive audio identifier.

IP Fun Fact

An Iconic Roar

The iconic lion’s roar used at the start of movies by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is a registered trademark under U.S. Registration No. 1395550. It’s not just a sound effect it’s a brand identity. Before you even see a film, that roar signals exactly which studio is behind it.

IP Fun Fact

The Trademark for the Shape of a Coca Cola Bottle

The iconic contour bottle of Coca-Cola, designed by the Root Glass Company and introduced in 1916, was officially recognized as a trademark by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 12, 196. The contour bottle of Coca-Cola is trademarked, meaning even without a label, the shape alone identifies the brand.

IP Fun Fact

The Trademark for a Door Opening

Lamborghini has trademarked the upward-opening motion “scissor doors,” under Registration Number 2793439 (UA), often known as a motion trademark to prevent other manufacturers from using the exact, dramatic movement in a way that suggests a connection to Lamborghini.

IP Fun Fact

Jackie Shroff trademarked its iconic dialogue Bhidu

Actor Jackie Shroff has registered the trademark “BHIDU” under multiple applications, primarily registered under Class 25 (Apparel, 3227968) and Class 41 (Entertainment, 3227969), both filed on April 5, 2016. He also holds a trademark for “Bhidu Ka Khopcha” (4362494).

IP Fun Fact

Apple Patented “slide to unlock” feature in Phones

Apple Inc. owns the “slide to unlock” patent, officially known as US Patent No. 8,046,721. The patent, titled “Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image,” was granted on October 25, 2011.

IP Fun Fact

Tiny Nose Pads, Big Patents

Eyewear companies, including EssilorLuxottica (and its subsidiaries like Oakley), hold numerous patents regarding the structural design of nose pads and temples to improve comfort, redistribute weight, and reduce fatigue by optimizing pressure distribution on the user’s face. For example US 5,092,666 covers conformable pads for eyewear frames, including temples, that mold to the user’s facial features.

IP Fun Fact

When Physics Delivers

In 1965, US-3216423-A George and Charlotte Blonsky were granted a patent for a device intended to assist women in childbirth using centrifugal force. The expectant mother would be strapped to a circular table that rotated at high speeds, using physics to literally “spin” the baby out. The patent even included a “net” to catch the baby as it emerged.

IP Fun Fact

The Motorized Ice Cream Cone

Licking ice cream can be exhausting work according to this 1999 US5971829A patent. The device features a motorized platform that rotates the scoop of ice cream against the user’s tongue. This was granted as a utility patent because it solved a “problem” (the manual labour of licking) and was technically novel.

IP Fun Fact

Styled Right!

Giorgio Armani S.p.A. holds trademark protection over specific stylized representations of letters (such as “A”, “EA”, or the Eagle logo). In intellectual property law, while a simple, non-stylized single letter is difficult to protect, a stylized letter defined by its unique font, spacing, and presentation is considered a valid, enforceable “figurative mark” or “device mark”.

IP Fun Fact

Recognizable, Therefore Protected

Ferrero protects the distinctive gold foil and white cup combination used for its chocolates. Even without branding, the packaging “vibe” alone is protected as trade dress in many markets. Ferrero has successfully protected the distinctive combination of gold foil, white paper cup, and the overall “vibe” (get-up) of the Ferrero Rocher wrapper as trade dress in various jurisdictions.