Mexico City, September 11, 2023.— “Aeronautical Pitot Tube with an Auxiliary Heating System Based on Phase-Change Material” is the name of the first project from the Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara campus, to be patented; the project is led by Dr. Fidencio Tapia Rodríguez, director of the Center for Research and Applied Technology. This achievement was made possible thanks to the Panamericana Intellectual Property Management Center, a technical and administrative support office serving the university community that is responsible for managing intellectual property protection. Specifically, it provides support for procedures involving the IMPI and the INDAUTOR.
About the project
Dr. Fidencio Tapia explains that his project involves a pitot tube with a speed sensor for an aircraft. The project originated as a master’s thesis at the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí, where Dr. Tapia served as a co-advisor.
“Its commercially accepted design today carries the risk of becoming blocked due to freezing, which can cause accidents. The patented design can delay this by up to 2.5 minutes , allowing the crew time to react and save lives and the entire aircraft, ”says Dr. Tapia.
The next step for this project, he explains, is to obtain the grant certificate—a process handled by the IMPI—as well as to continue promoting the technology in order to seek its transfer or licensing.
Novelty, Inventive Step, and Industrial Applicability
Dr. Juan Alberto González Piñón, corporate director of innovation and technology transfer at Panamericana, notes that to determine whether Dr. Tapia’s project could be eligible for a patent application—just like all research projects submitted to the Intellectual Property Management Center— it must demonstrate the existence of the technical problem that is solved by the invention resulting from the research project.
The significance of the technical problem is crucial, as it gives rise to the invention itself and, consequently, a patent application.
Once this step has been taken, “we proceed to conduct a state-of-the-art analysis. We identify related publications or patents, which help us determine whether the project involves novelty and an inventive step. Another tool is called a patentability analysis, which uses the two previous reports to develop a protection strategy,” states Dr. González Piñón.
In short, this means that all work in progress must meet three main requirements: novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.
Intellectual Property Management Center
The Pan-American Intellectual Property Management Center aims to support researchers and assist them in managing the inventions resulting from their intellectual work.
Dr. González Piñón notes that the existence of this center is of great importance in supporting and assisting professors, researchers, and students in properly protecting the intellectual property rights to the results of their scientific research.
“(…) This center gives them the opportunity to submit their proposals for the proper management and protection of intellectual property, as well as training on technological and procedural concepts,”he says.
Serving the UP Community
Currently, this center has a portfolio of 31 invention patent applications and four international PCT applications. “In the short term, the goal is to increase this by an average of 10 patents per year. Wealso aim to pursue the transfer or licensing of technologies that have business potential, ”explains Juan Alberto.
Finally, Dr. González Piñón tells researchers in our university community:“These departments at Panamericana ( the Intellectual Property Management Center and the Corporate Office of Innovation and Technology Transfer) are here to advise you, support you, and handle all the procedures necessary to protect your intellectual property.”
He adds that, in addition, in these settings, “we organize talks, courses, and presentations where we highlight the benefits and challenges of patenting.”
For more information about this center, please write to: propiedad.intelectual@up.edu.mx
