64 Chapter 3 Introduction to Engineering Design
3.10 Patent, Trademark, and Copyright
In the early days, trade information and invention were kept in the family and passed on from
one generation to the next. For example, when a plow maker came up with a better design, he
kept the details of the design to himself and shared the specifications of the new invention only
with his family, including son(s), brother(s), and so on. The new designs and inventions stayed
in the family to protect the business and to prevent others from duplicating the inventor’s
design. However, new designs and inventions need to be shared if they are to bring about
improvements in everyone’s lives. At the same time the person(s) who comes up with a new idea
should benefit from it. Traded information and invention, if not protected, can be stolen. So
you can see that, in order for a government to promote new ideas and inventions, it must also
provide means for protecting others from stealing someone’s new ideas and inventions, which
are consideredintellectual property.
Patents, trademarks, service marks, and copyrights are examples of means by which intel-
lectual property is protected by United States laws.TABLE 3.4 Comparing Two Alternative Designs
Design I Design II
Design Criterion I R RIR RI
Positive
Originality 4 2 8 3 12
Practicability 5 3 15 2 10
Manufacturability 5 3 15 2 10
Reliability 5 3 15 3 15
Performance 5 3 15 2 10
Durability 4 2 8 2 8
Appearance 4 2 8 3 12
Profitability 5 3 15 2 10
Other
99 87
Negative
Production cost 5 2 10 3 15
Operating cost 4 2 8 2 8
Maintenance cost 3 2 6 3 9
Time to complete 5 3 15 3 15
the project
Environmental impact 5 2 10 3 15
Other
49 62
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