Chapter 15 Registration and Gift Giving
Now that Lawyer Barbara has pointed out the right direction, Ethan will naturally continue to go forward unswervingly.
When he got home, he simply enjoyed the lunch made by Linda, and then he moved out of the California Yellow Pages and found a number.
After a busy tone, an emotionless female voice sounded on the other end of the phone.
"This is the California Office of the American Patent Office."
"Hello, madam, I have an invention and I want to apply for a patent. It is a personal application and a provisional application. What documents do I need to bring and where can I go to apply for it?" Ethan He expressed his demands clearly and clearly.
"Sir, I'm glad that you can support the work of our patent office." The
female voice on the other end of the phone said carefully: "The steps for an individual to apply for a temporary patent are very simple. You only need to bring the drawings and instructions of your invention to our offline service. You can apply at our office. The address of our office is No. 26 Fourth Street, San Jose. You can come here from Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. By the way, a warm reminder, personal temporary application There is an application fee of seventy dollars."
"..."
'It's really a bit expensive. '
Ethan's mouth twitched as he hung up the phone.
You know, his previous weekly salary at magnavox was only eighty dollars, and all the materials for "Snake", including the second-hand TV and joystick sponsored by Evelin, only cost four hundred dollars in total.
And now, the fee for a provisional patent application is seventy dollars?
How can normal people afford this?
"It is indeed capitalism, everything depends on money." Ethan shook his head and complained: "No wonder would specially make a separate video for Walter Hunter. He has the ability to invent and create, but has no money to register a patent. This is really miserable. "
But no matter how expensive it is, you still have to use it.
After hanging up the phone, Ethan prepared according to the other party's request.
I copied the arcade drawings drawn by Evelin by hand. The main emphasis was on the content of the game, that is, when the game starts, the snake will move on its own, and when the joystick is operated, the snake can turn, etc. .
As for things like circuit diagrams, he didn't draw them at all and didn't need to draw them.
After all, Barbara said that provisional applications are not reviewed at all. The most important thing to write is actually what you most want to be protected by law.
After finishing all this, it was already past one o'clock in the afternoon, and then Ethan spent another twenty minutes walking ten miles to San Jose and submitted his application to the California office of the Patent Office.
"Are you going to apply for a patent for the video game arcade machine "Snake Game" in the names of Evelyn Johnson and Ethan Jones?" asked the clerk.
"Yeah." Ethan nodded.
Writing two people's names on the patent application was something Ethan and Evelin had agreed upon.
"Okay, please wait a moment."
Although in the future, some people will always criticize America's agencies for their low efficiency, but that only refers to the money-giving projects. In the money-collecting projects, they have always been vigorous and resolute.
The clerk made copies, and within five minutes, Ethan received a receipt for the temporary application.
It contains the provisional patent number, filing date, invention title and inventor's name.
At the same time, the other party also said, "Mr. Jones, the provisional application has been completed. In the next year, you can submit a formal application to us at any time. If you do not submit it, the provisional application will be filed tomorrow one year later." It will automatically expire and be permanently archived. If you submit it, your temporary application will be made public by us in the form of a priority oath." "
Okay, thank you."
Looking at the slightly crude but representative of the law Ethan was very happy reply.
No way, who made this thing represent money?
Humming a little tune and singing a song, I happily returned to the car.
Glancing at his watch, the words half past two made him think it was still early.
So he turned around and stopped in front of a video store in San Jose.
On the promotional sign of this store, there is a poster of a blond woman in a red dress. On the poster is written "I Honestly Love You" - Olivia Newton John.
"Holy crap, this song has been released?"
Ethan was very surprised, because he liked this song better in his previous life.
It's just that it's not the original song, but a cover by a certain male artist.
He muttered something, ignored it, and waved to the store, and a middle-aged white man with a rich face immediately ran out.
"Sir, how can I help you?"
"Do you have Barbra Streisand's new work?"
"Are you referring to "The Way We Are" which was released last year?"
"Can you bring it to me to take a look?"
"Wait a moment, sir." After
a moment, the white man ran out again with the album. It was a palm-sized cassette. On the plastic outer packaging, Barbra Streisand was wearing a black robe.
This cover made Ethan's eyes light up and he nodded: "Yes, that's it. Is there a deluxe version? The one with a poster?" "
Of course." The boss returned to the store again.
When he came out for the third time, he had a box the size of a schoolbag in his hand.
"The vinyl version contains a record, three posters, and an album production record. If you want it, it's fifteen dollars." "
Wrap it up for me. It's a gift."
"Sir, in that case, I'll add one more U.S. dollars."
"No problem."
Ethan counted out sixteen dollars from his wallet and handed it to him. A few minutes later, the boss came out with a gift box that could be held in both hands, and the pure white outer packaging and pink ribbon , which is something Ethan did not explain.
'Very good!
Ethan smiled , then turned on the radio and came to Stanford amid the soothing music.
Since he arrived a little early, Ethan put down the seat directly and lay down leisurely in the car.
I don't know how long it took, but when the banging sound was heard, the joking words also appeared.
"Wow~ You're in a good mood!"
As soon as Ethan opened his eyes, Evelin had already sat in the passenger seat, "It seems that things went well?"
"Hmm."
Ethan took out the receipt from his jacket pocket, Give it a flick.
The list made of A4 paper suddenly made a crisp sound.
Evelin took it and took a look at it, and praised: "Oh~ ok, very capable."
"Of course." Ethan said, "You have helped me complete the preliminary preparations. If I still do this little thing, If you can't figure it out, then I can really find a place to crash to death."
"YoYoYo~ What happened to you today? Could it be that you ate a McDonald's milkshake?"
Evelin smiled and said: "Oh, or maybe , are you happy and want to express your gratitude to me? If it's the former, I think I will file a complaint to Linda, saying that you are eating junk food again, but if it's the latter... humph, I won't accept any words. Thank you!"
Okay, Okay, I understand."
Ethan pressed his hands softly and said, "So, I'm not going to thank you verbally."
As he said that, he pointed to the back seat with his thumb.
Evelin, who felt strange, immediately turned her head.
In an instant, she saw the exquisite packaging hidden under the clothes, so she couldn't wait to take it in her hand.
"Given it to me?"
"Uh-huh."
"Did I take it apart?"
"Please do so."
Before he finished speaking, the ribbon had been untied.
There was silence for a second, as if time had stood still.
The sudden screams are the joy of giving.
"The Way We Are on vinyl???"
"Oh My God!!! This is the one I wrote for you that day! No! I was just writing the album..."
"Oh Ethan! I love it so much You!!!"
Note: ① The Yellow Pages is a telephone number book, which was born in the United States in 1880. According to the custom in the United States, the telephone number of a city or region's organization or company will be published on it. ② Walter Hunt, inventor, best known for his invention the sewing machine. ③Olivia Newton John, singer, actor
(End of chapter)