• Fred Thomas

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    Fred Thomas works in HP’s Advanced Compute and Solutions (ACS) Business as a HP Distinguished Technologist. He has degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from Bucknell University. Among his roles in ACS is Structured Innovation Lead for R&D, where he facilitates their organization-wide Friday Morning Innovation sessions. He is also ACS’s Patent Technical Coordinator. His innovative work product has included crucial inventions in products like HP Z Captis, HP MediaSmart Home Server, HP digital EO pen technologies, Iomega Zip, Jaz, Floptical & Clik! data storage drives, Identi-Key machine vision for retail key blank recognition, and AO-DVD subwavelength optical data storage, among others. Thomas has been with HP 18 years and with more than 100 U.S. Patents, has been around the IP (Intellectual Property) horn a few times. Outside of work and inventing things, he enjoys hiking with his family, reading, watching select sports, and a good Will Ferrell movie here and there.

    Product advertisement for the “Talking Fly Swatter” from Amazon.com, accessed on June 22, 2022 (left) and “Finger Mounted Flyswatter” from U.S. Patent No. 7,484,328, issued to John Richard Daugherty on February 3, 2009 (right).
    Executive Forum

    An invention and patent filing gray area: Obviousness

    Fred Thomas
    Feb. 24, 2025
    What is an invention? Most of us use the term “invention” loosely. I believe you will find a re-examination of the term worthwhile. In fact, if you’re the creative type, understanding...
    (Retrieved from ALLNUMIS.com Public Domain)
    “Tesla with AC Motor” early 20th-century postcard.
    Commentary

    Is structured innovation an oxymoron?

    Fred Thomas
    Jan. 16, 2025
    Inventing, for most, is not a mystic process, and the use and understanding of tools to structure and guide the invention process can be highly beneficial.
    (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)
    Image of Abraham Lincoln: Popular Mechanics, March 1924.
    Executive Forum

    The greatest American: Inventor and innovation evangelist!

    Fred Thomas
    Nov. 14, 2024
    Abraham Lincoln embraced invention and innovation as core to the economic success of the United States of America—and so can you.