节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-10-06
难易度:Medium
关键字:unavailable, device, ridiculous, pass something off, bionic
Hello, friends.
Welcome to Studio Classroom Worldwide.
Thanks for watching.
My name is Steve.
Well, imagine living in a society without patents.
That would mean if you had a great idea for an invention, someone else could
steal your idea, take credit for it and make millions of dollars.
Now that wouldn't be fair, would it?
All your time, money, energy and genius wasted.
Well, if society doesn't reward people for their inventions, then there's little
incentive for those people to think creatively and make things better.
That's the power of patents.
OK. Let's learn more as we dive into today's reading, Patents, patents
everywhere, on page 19.
All About Patents.
Patents, patents everywhere.
You may not be able to see patents, but they're connected to nearly everything.
There are patents on things you use every day, like plastic, light bulbs,
medicine and your computer.
There are patents on things that are unavailable on the market too.
Apple is well-known for its patents on potential products, such as the "iBike"
or the "iKey." Of course there also patents on inventions that are a little
weird.
Take the anti-eating face mask for example.
This device locks around your head with a metal cage covering your mouth.
Hello, everyone.
Thank you for joining us.
My name is Ryan.
And my name is Kaylah.
And we're back looking at patents.
Friends, have you ever had a new idea, something that you thought of, a new
intervention that you don't want someone to steal?
Well, you should patent it.
Yeah. In fact, Kaylah, I've had many ideas like this.
And I should have filed for patents because patents protect your ideas from
other people being able to steal them or sell them without your permission.
OK. So we know about the basics of a patent.
We started talking about an application for it.
And we learned some things that cannot be patented: concepts, scientific
theories, new medical practices and things found in nature.
But we're going to look at some patents, Ryan, that are a little strange.
Yeah. We're going to get to see some a little bit later.
But first friends, we're going to explain to you a little bit more of how the
patent process works starting with: Patents, patents everywhere.
That's right.
Patents, patents everywhere.
This is a way of saying they're all over the place.
When you say "patents, patents," when you say a noun twice, it means you
probably see a lot of them or there... there's too many.
Exactly. Now friends, you might not be able to see these patents, but they're
connected to just about everything around you.
That's right.
They're connected to nearly everything.
And Ryan said that in a different way.
To say "nearly," as Ryan said, is "just about" or "almost" everything.
So, hmm, we don't see them because, well, they're paper, they're an agreement.
So we don't see them all the time, but friends, they are everywhere.
That's right.
Look at just about anything you have in your house that was invented, and
there's probably a patent on it.
You may not see them, but they're there.
Now there are patents on just about everything.
So there are patents on things you use every day, like plastic, or light bulbs,
medicine and your computer.
That's right.
These things are all inventions that were made by people.
And they wanted to protect their ideas so not just everyone could go and build
them and sell them themselves.
That's right.
Plastic, we all use plastic all the time.
That's that material that we use... a lot of bottles are made out of it.
Actually, friends, if you look around your house, you will be surprised at how
many things are made of plastic.
That's a patent.
That's right.
Light bulbs, of course we know, is when you turn on the lights and light comes
out of that round object.
That is a light bulb.
That's right.
Now we... we can thank an inventor from years and years and years ago for the
light bulb.
But that patent has changed as people have improved it.
So from the beginning, probably when Thomas Edison invented that, it has grown.
And because of patents, that idea can continue to grow because we share new
ideas.
Exactly. People are able to see that idea.
They know how it works, and they can use that knowledge to make new ideas.
OK. So the light bulb's a great example of that.
Exactly.
Now friends, there aren't just patents on the things you can see either.
There are also patents on things that are unavailable on the market too.
But Ryan, we said earlier they have to be able... there are certain things, like
ideas, you can't patent.
But most patents are on actual items.
So when we say they're not available on the market yet, that's why we can't see
them, right?
Exactly. They're not being sold yet or they're not being built yet.
If you have a patent on an idea for an invention you can build, it's OK to file
that patent even if you haven't built it yet.
But you do have to show them that it can work.
OK, "unavailable." Let's look at that word.
That means it's not able to do.
You cannot do it yet, or it's not able to meet something, or see something.
It's not able for you to go and see it, touch it, feel it, be with it yet.
But it's already being made, it's in the works.
Right. So you can't get it yet, but soon maybe you will or maybe not.
Just because something is unavailable doesn't necessarily mean it will be
available later.
Now Apple is a very well-known company, especially for its patents on potential
projects.
That's hard to say: patents on potential products.
That's right.
Something that is potential means it could happen.
And we have some examples of these potential Apple products such as the iBike or
the iKey.
I have no idea what those are.
Neither do I.
But I know Apple likes to put "i" in front of things, like I have an "iPad"
here.
And so they might have these inventions later.
That's right.
They might have them coming out later.
I think it'd be so cool to have an iBike.
Well, of course there are also patents on inventions that are a little weird.
OK. I've been waiting for these.
For example, friends, take the anti-eating face mask.
Now this is anti-eating.
So "anti-" means you cannot.
And "eat" means to eat.
And this face mask covers your face, and I guess, keeps you from eating.
Well, this device locks around your head with a metal cage covering your mouth.
So if you're having a hard time not eating, you can use the anti-eating face
mask.
But really, Ryan, this is very strange because it's... this device locks over
your face.
Yeah, it's weird.
And it's a device.
The word "device" simply means an object that has been invented for a certain
purpose.
Now this definitely has a specific purpose.
It's to help you not eat.
But friends, do you really need a metal cage over your mouth?
A cage is... those bars that block the opening.
Do you need one of those so you don't eat?
I don't know.
Or better yet, if this was a real invention, would you pay money for this?
Well, friends, we have some more great weird examples coming up after we visit
the Information Station and then take a break.
Bryan, today's article talks about the process of patenting an invention.
Yep. And now we'd like to show you some of the more creative interventions to
receive patents.
So let's take a trip over to...
Information Station.
Well, the first invention we'd like to share today is the greenhouse helmet.
Now wearing this device is like wearing a greenhouse on your head.
It gives you all the benefits of the oxygen from the plants.
But I'm just not sure how.
Hmm... Maybe you are supposed to attach a pipe to your nose.
Well, another great invention is the dance fever belt.
Be careful, friends.
Once you put this belt on, you can't stop dancing.
Ha... I'm sure, Bill.
I can't wait to see this!
Wow! Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Oh.
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Nice dance moves, Bill!
Oh, yeah.
Don't break any bones.
Well, I was born to dance, Bryan.
Would... would you like to try it out?
Um, no. I would not, Bill.
Our next invention are the time and temperature glasses.
You put them on and... voila!
You can read the time and temperature inside the glasses.
I guess they're in here somewhere, but I can't find them.
Well, no problem, Bryan.
That's what cell phones are for.
Right.
Our last invention is our most technically-advanced one.
It's the amazing high-five simulator.
That's right, Bill.
This invention lets you practice giving high fives when your friends aren't
around.
You just lift your hand and aim for the large plastic hand of the simulator.
Wow! That is so cool.
I think we need to give each other a high five.
Yeah.
Whoo! Well, Bill, that's about all the time we have for today.
Those are some of our amazing inventions to receive patents over the years.
So friends, get out there and invent something.
And we'll see you next time here at...
Information Station.