John Cronin Managing Director and Chairman - PostalVision 2020
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The Role of Intellectual Property
(IP) in the Future of the USPS
How Can We Use Innovation and IP to Define the
USPS in 2020 and Beyond?
John Cronin
Managing Director and Chairman
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information.
Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 2
Who We Are
• Intellectual property (IP) and innovation consulting firm since 1998
• Facilitators and managers with a systematic and data-driven approach
• Knowledge base established from over 600 clients, start-up to Fortune 50
• Aerospace/Defense • Heavy Machinery
• Chemicals • Industrial Conglomerates
• Computer Hardware • Medical Devices
• Computer Software • Pharmaceuticals
• Consumer Products • Semiconductors
• Electronics/Electrical • Telecommunications
• Energy • Transportation
Located in Williston, Vermont
• Key partners:
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 3
Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 4
What is Intellectual Property?
Patents are a
government right
granted to the inventor
to stop other parties
from making, using, or
selling your patented
invention!
This is done to
“promulgate the arts”!
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 5
Innovation, Invention, and Patents
Innovation
Invention
Patents
Legacy Technologies Model
Basic Model
Where is the Model for
the Postal Service?
High Technology Model
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 6
Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 7
Areas Where the Federal Government
Passes Laws and Defines Policy
• Banking, Taxation and Currency
• Airports and Air Safety
• Defense
• Foreign Affairs
• Industrial Relations: Employers & employees
• Immigration
• Postal Services
• Social Services and Pensions
• Telecommunications and Broadcasting
• Trade
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 8
Government’s Influence on IP
• Banking, Taxation and Currency
“Enforcement” Model • Airports and Air Safety
DataTreasury, a small Texas • Defense
company, holds key patents on
the electronic processing of • Foreign Affairs
checks. Since Congress
passed the Check 21 bill in • Industrial Relations: Employers & employees
2002, DataTreasury has
successfully sued or signed
licensing deals with numerous
• Immigration
banks whom allegedly have
infringed on DataTreasury’s • Postal Services
patents.
• Social Services and Pensions
The proceeds from the
invention could total $30 billion! • Telecommunications and Broadcasting
• Trade
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 9
Government’s Influence on IP
• Banking, Taxation and Currency
• Airports and Air Safety
“Government Use”
• Defense
Model
Although a patent owner
• Foreign Affairs
usually cannot enjoin a
contractor’s use of a patent to • Industrial Relations: Employers & employees
perform a federal contract, or
sue the contractor directly for • Immigration
patent infringement damages,
the contractor may incur full • Postal Services
liability to indemnify the
government for government- • Social Services and Pensions
compensated patent owners.
• Telecommunications and Broadcasting
• Trade
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 10Government’s Influence on IP
• Banking, Taxation and Currency
• Airports and Air Safety
“Open” Model
• Defense
Technology is transforming
how people collect and share • Foreign Affairs
information. Social workers
who refuse to acknowledge this • Industrial Relations: Employers & employees
trend risk falling out of step
with the profession.
• Immigration
Many social services interact
through technology and remain • Postal Services
essentially “Open” from patent
infringement issues and move • Social Services and Pensions
to Open Source IP.
• Telecommunications and Broadcasting
• Trade
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 11Government’s Influence on IP
“Hybrid” Model • Banking, Taxation and Currency
The FCC (1) controls • Airports and Air Safety
frequency spectrum tightly but
(2) has been criticized for • Defense
ignoring international open
standards, and instead • Foreign Affairs
choosing proprietary closed
standards (covered by • Industrial Relations: Employers & employees
patents), allowing
communications companies to
implement the anticompetitive
• Immigration
practice of vendor lock-in,
thereby preventing a free • Postal Services
market.
Patent Wars are prevalent! • Social Services and Pensions
Government controls IP for • Telecommunications and Broadcasting
spectrum use but not
technology. • Trade
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 12Government’s Influence on IP
• Banking, Taxation and Currency
• Airports and Air Safety
Which Model will USPS have • Defense
by 2020?
• Foreign Affairs
How can the Value Chain be • Industrial Relations: Employers & employees
ready?
• Immigration
How can the Value Chain IP be • Postal Services
leveraged to help define the
new USPS in 2020?
• Social Services and Pensions
• Telecommunications and Broadcasting
• Trade
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 13Summary of IP Models
Open Source Free Enterprise
Open Enforcement
Government Hybrid
Military & Use
real public
good (Safety) Hybrid
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 14Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 15Patent Filings Count - Industry
Patents positions amongst the major players
1600
1400 1491
1200
1000
800
870 Filings
600 758
400
200
113
0
USPS UPS FED-EX DHL
*US Apps, US Granted, EP Apps, EP Granted, WO Apps
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 16Patent Filings by Year
Patents have started to increase amongst the major players
120
100
80
# of Filings
UPS
60 FEDEX
DHL
40 USPS
20
0
1973
1981
1989
1997
2005
1969
1971
1975
1977
1979
1983
1985
1987
1991
1993
1995
1999
2001
2003
2007
2009
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 17Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 18Postal Value Chain
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
•USPS •Business •USPS •USPS •USPS •USPS •USPS
•Business •Private •Vendors •Vendors •Vendors •Vendors •Vendors
Models •Sales logistics •IT Software •IT Software •IT Software •IT Software •IT Software
•Letter/Parcel •Distribution •Tracking •Tracking •Tracking
•Production •Tracking
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 19IP on the Postal Value Chain
769 769
573
138 111
60 59
Postage Collection Outbound Transport Inbound Transport Delivery
Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution
•USPS •Business •USPS •USPS •USPS •USPS •USPS
•Business •Private •Vendors •Vendors •Vendors •Vendors •Vendors
Models •Sales logistics •IT Software •IT Software •IT Software •IT Software •IT Software
•Letter/Parcel •Distribution •Tracking •Tracking •Tracking
•Production •Tracking
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 20Postal Value Chain IP - Examples
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
US Patent 8195579 - - Assignee: Stamps.com
“System and method for printing postage indicia with mail-by date”
A method comprising:
• Determining a mail-by-date for a postage indicium, wherein said mail-by date is a date by which said postage indicium must
be introduced into a mail stream to be valid;
• Printing by a printer, on a printing date, said postage indicium comprising said mail-by date, wherein said printing date is a
day which is before in time than said mail-by date, and wherein said printing date is a different date than said mail-by date;
and
• Introducing said postage indicium into said mail stream on any date before in time than said mail-by date and after in time
than said printing date.
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 21Postal Value Chain IP - Examples
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
US Patent 6789727 – Assignee: Lockheed Martin
"Mail processing apparatus and collection box with a mail article sealer”
A mail processing apparatus, comprising:
• Container adapted for receiving deposited mail articles and being capable of retaining a plurality of the deposited mail
articles therein;
• a depository port, operably connected to said container, adapted for passing the deposited mail articles into said container;
and
• a sealing apparatus operatively associated with said depository port and adapted to enclose the deposited mail articles in a
sealing layer.
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 22Postal Value Chain IP - Examples
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
US Patent 7943879 - - Assignee: Siemens
“Method for sorting unaddressed mail items”
A method for sorting unaddressed mail items stored in a number of batches, the method comprising:
• Providing a number of the batches, each of the batches being defined by respective identical unaddressed mail items;
• Registering each batch by recording at least one pictorial reference feature of at least one of the mail items belonging to the
respective batch,
• Linking the pictorial reference feature to a sorting plan,
• Detecting the pictorial reference feature on the unaddressed mail items during a subsequent sorting of all the unaddressed
mail items of all the batches; and
• Distributing the unaddressed mail items in accordance with the sorting plan linked to the detected pictorial reference
features.
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 23Postal Value Chain IP - Examples
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
US Patent 8047432 – Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International
“Package tracking techniques”
A method for tracking packages in a cargo container, the packages including optically readable indicia, comprising:
• movably mounting at least one optical imager to an interior surface of the container capable of reading the optically
readable indicia on the packages;
• operatively reading the indicia from the packages using the at least one optical imager that obtains images of the indicia;
• converting the read indicia into an identification of the packages using a processor on the container;
• transmitting the package identifications from the container to a location off of the container using a transmission system;
• attempting to read the indicia on each package via the at least one optical imager when the package is first placed into the
container; and
• moving the at least one optical imager to vary its field of view when the indicia on a package is unable to be read via the at
least one optical imager when the package is first placed into the container.
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 24Postal Value Chain IP - Examples
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
EP Patent 2039437– Assignee: Solystic
“Method of sorting postal dispatches with RFID envelope’
A postal sorting machine comprising:
• A special mailpiece of the "declared-value mail" or "registered mail" type bearing an RFID tag equipped with a memory in
which a unique identification code (IDc) is recorded, said special mailpiece being characterized in that, with said mailpiece
being in the form of an envelope having a flap disposed to fold down over a flap-receiving zone of the envelope, said
mailpiece bears said unique code that is printed in the form of alphanumeric characters in the fold-receiving zone so that,
once the envelope is closed, the code is no longer visible..
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 25Postal Value Chain IP - Examples
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
US Patent 6665422 – Assignee: Siemens
“Method and device for recognizing distribution data on postal packets”
A method of recognizing distribution information on mail items, in which an image of a surface of each mail item containing the distribution
information is obtained and evaluated by means of automatic OCR recognition methods and video coding, the method comprising:
• performing a first automatic search of a region of interest (ROI), the ROI being a region of the mail item containing the distribution
information, the search including determining an orientation of the distribution information and performing a first automatic OCR recognition;
• displaying an entire image of the surface containing the distribution information on a video-coder monitor if the first automatic OCR
recognition yields an ambiguous result;
• dividing the image on the video-coder monitor into image segments with a grid;
• manually selecting the image segment from the displayed image that contains a portion of the ROI via a single keystroke;
• performing a second automatic search of a new region containing the distribution information, where the new region is designated by the
manually selected image segment and includes marginal regions of segments adjacent to the manually selected image segment such that
the new region encompasses the distribution information; and
• performing a second automatic OCR evaluation of the new region containing the distribution information.
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 26Postal Value Chain IP - Examples
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
US Patent 7693942 – Assignee: Nale, David S.
“Method and system for postal service mail delivery via electronic mail”
A method for processing mail, comprising:
• receiving a mail item, wherein the mail item is a postal item having recipient information and one or more pages enclosed in
the mail item;
• scanning the mail item including the recipient information and the enclosed one or more pages into an image file, the image
file including image data of the recipient information and image data of the enclosed one or more pages;
• identifying a recipient from the recipient information in the image file
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 27Distribution of Postal Value Chain
Patents by Year
Delivery
Distribution
Sorting
Transport
Collection
Postage
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 28Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 29IP Models
Open Source Free Enterprise
Open Enforcement
Government Hybrid
Military & Use
real public
good (Safety) Hybrid
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 30Open Source
Open Source Free
Enterprise
Open Enforcement
Military &
real public
good (Safety)
Government
Use
Hybrid
Hybrid
Platform Model
• USPS opens up all of their IP to the private sector to spur innovation
• Private Sector develops contributions to the platform using IP
• Private Sector battles it out
Open up IP
Produces
Private Private
Sector Lawsuits Sector
Value Value
Chain Chain Postal Platform
Products, Apps, Services
Products, Apps, Services The Public
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 31Free Enterprise
Open Source Free
Enterprise
Open Enforcement
Military &
real public
good (Safety)
Government
Use
Hybrid
Hybrid
Platform Model
• USPS leverages their IP (licenses) to the private sector to spur innovation
• Private Sector develops contributions to the platform using licenses– makes $$
• Private Sector battles it out
License IP
Private Sector gets value from IP
$$$
Produces
Private Private
Sector Lawsuits Sector
Value Value
Chain Chain Postal Platform
Products, Apps, Services
Products, Apps, Services The Public
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 32Military
Open Source Free
Enterprise
Open Enforcement
Military &
real public
good (Safety)
Government
Use
Hybrid
Hybrid
Platform Model
• USPS leverages their IP (controls licenses) to the private sector to spur innovation
• Private Sector develops contributions to the platform using licenses – makes less $$
• Private Sector battles it out, but Government may interfere
License IP
Private Sector gets value from IP
$
Produces
Private Private
Sector Lawsuits Sector
Value Value
Chain Chain Postal Platform
Products, Apps, Services
Products, Apps, Services The Public
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 33Hybrid
Open Source Free
Enterprise
Open Enforcement
Military &
real public
good (Safety)
Government
Use
Hybrid
Hybrid
Platform Model
• USPS controls their IP and leverages it (licenses) to the private sector in some cases to
spur innovation
• e.g. Government controls privacy, geo-locations, but not technology
• Private Sector battles it out, but Government may interfere
License IP
Private Sector gets value from IP
$
Produces
Private Private
Sector Lawsuits Sector
Value Value
Chain Chain Postal Platform
Products, Apps, Services
Products, Apps, Services The Public
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 34Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 35Potential IP Disruptions to the
Postal Value Chain
Email to USPS, Letter is scanned
They print and Self-Sorting Smart mini upon collection & Real Time Leverage
Robotic vehicles
deliver “Reverse Collection Box containers reprinted near Tracking Non USPS Vehicles
Hybrid Mail” delivery location
Change in Transport Change in Transport
Digitalization Streamlining Leapfrogging
Methods Methods
Outbound Transport Inbound Transport
Postage Collection Sorting Long Haul Sorting Distribution Delivery
Biz Model
Digitalization Automation Streamlining Automation Digitalization Automation
Changes
Smart Sorting while in Recipient
Postage by the Mile Robotics
Envelopes Transit email
Web-Generated Subscription Postage image Private Scan & Email 3D
Postage Postage linked to recipient Pick-up models “Hybrid Mail” Printing
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 36Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 37Competitive Forces Affecting
Postal Intellectual Property
SUPPLIERS
POTENTIAL ENTRANTS CUSTOMERS
• Do your suppliers have IP?
• How well does your IP protect • Do your postal customers have
• Are they moving into your
your core business? IP?
space?
• Is your 1st mover advantage • Are they moving up the value
protected? chain?
BUSINESS MODEL
COMPLIMENTS
• Is your business model
• Have you protected invent-on-
protected?
top-ofs?
• If the postal industry adopts
• Have you protected add-ons &
alternative business models, is
interfaces?
your IP still valuable?
STANDARDS
• Have competitors protected SUBSTITUTES
industry standards? • How broad is your IP?
• Is your IP position supporting • Have you protected invent-
or inhibiting your ability to arounds?
become the de-facto standard?
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS LITIGATION
• How well does your IP protect LICENSING
• Will your IP become obsolete
your core business? • Are your competitors licensing
with next generation
• Have you protected where your IP to enable adoption?
technologies?
competitors are headed and
amassed IP trading cards?
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 38Agenda
• Introduction
• Intellectual Property, Innovation, and the USPS
• Models for the Federal Government’s Role in IP
• Status and Trends for Postal Industry Patents
• IP on the Postal Value Chain
• Potential USPS IP Models and Strategies
• Potential IP Disruptions to the Postal Value Chain
• Competitive Forces Affecting Postal IP
• Summary
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 39Summary
• Intellectual property and innovation will become more relevant to the USPS in the
future
• The postal value chain needs to be ready for the Federal Government’s future IP
model, and the USPS must know how to leverage their IP in that model
• IP is trending up in the postal industry, and is distributed across the postal value
chain
• Potential USPS IP models provide strategic
choices for how the USPS can best leverage
their IP
• There is a large potential for IP disruptions
across the postal value chain
• Will you be prepared?
© 2012, ipCapital Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Confidential and Proprietary Information. 40Thank You
John Cronin
Managing Director and Chairman
jcronin@ipcg.com
+1 (802) 859-7800 x210
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