About Me
My name is Mark Summerfield. That’s me, on the left, with a few digital improvements holding time at bay, and a photograph that I took at Milford Sound in New Zealand as a backdrop.I am an electrical engineer turned fibre-optic communications researcher turned lecturer turned IP manager turned software designer turned patent attorney turned blogger. I am still all of these things, to greater or lesser degrees.
If there is a single thread running through my career(s), it is a passion for innovation and creativity. I became an engineer because I wanted to make things. I became a researcher because I wanted to discover and learn new things. I helped to design software that used powerful and innovative algorithms to help communications engineers design and build sophisticated fibre-optic networks (I am even an inventor on a patent covering one of those algorithms). I got into the IP profession because I wanted to help others to protect and commercialise their own innovations. I enjoy teaching as an opportunity to pass on some of these skills and experiences to a new generation.
And I blog to share my passion for technology, innovation, and intellectual property with anyone who cares to read.
Thank you for dropping by!
About Comments and Moderation
I welcome thoughtful comments on all topics covered by the Patentology blog. I try not to have too many rules and restrictions, and comments are not moderated prior to publication (unless the commenting system flags them as possible spam, or containing offensive language).I ask only that comments avoid:
- language that any reasonable person would consider abusive, obscene, indecent or offensive;
- statements that are defamatory, abusive, harassing or hateful, towards other participants in the discussion, or any other individual (whether or not they have a role in public life);
- content that clearly infringes the intellectual property or other rights of any individual or corporation (e.g. copyrights, trade marks, personal privacy);
- material that comprises spam, or other commercial content (e.g. advertising or solicitation for business); or
- discussion that is clearly off-topic.
Since starting this blog in June of 2010, I have only rarely had cause to remove or block a comment. To those who have contributed, thank you for your input and your civility!
About the Usual Legal Disclaimers
I am a patent attorney. But I am (probably) not your patent attorney.Or, in more formal terms:
The Patentology blog provides information for the interest, education and entertainment of readers. The opinions and information provided on the blog do not comprise specific legal advice. Your use of the blog and associated features including, without limitation, the comments service and the email address mail@patentology.com.au, does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and any author of blog content, or their employer. The Patentology blog is not intended, and should not be used, as a substitute for competent legal advice, based upon your own specific circumstances, from a qualified professional adviser in your jurisdiction.
