Patents by Inventor Michael F. Melcher

Michael F. Melcher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20030225702
    Abstract: A system and method for acquisition, registration, and authentication of works of art and the like is provided. The system and method of the present invention changes the basis for proving legitimate possession of artwork from a bearer system based on trust of provenance provided by an art dealer (if any) to a registration system based on a license. It provides a contractual basis among the parties for assuring authenticity and exclusivity (rarity). The present invention accomplishes two important objectives: 1) it ensures that an artist produces only a designated number of copies of any single artwork, thereby establishing exclusivity, and 2) it tracks the possession of these copies, so that the authenticity and legitimacy of any particular copy can be clearly and quickly established according to agreed-upon procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Jorge Martin, Michael F. Melcher, Sandra J. Shepard