Low Tech Too

image source: Interbrand

The press lovingly covers high tech IP, and you might imagine that's all there is.

No.

Plenty of low tech companies are driving new inventions week by week, and a great example is a company founded in 1925 and based in Peoria, Illinois.

Caterpillar.  Blessed with the URL cat.com.

Consider Patent 8078441that Caterpillar was awarded this week:

A method for designing a haul road based on machine performance comprises receiving one or more haul road parameters and identifying at least one type of machine to be operated on the haul road. The method also includes selecting at least one target operating parameter associated with the at least one type of machine and simulating performance of the at least one type of machine to predict an operating value corresponding with the at least one target operating parameter. If the predicted operating value is not within a threshold range of the corresponding target operating parameter, one or more haul road parameters are adjusted.

A Haul Road is for facilitating the safe and efficient operation of mobile vehicles in mining or construction operations, while maintaining minimal environmental impact.  Yes, it's green.

Want to peruse some Cat IP, patents and patent apps?  Click here, there are 5,794 as of this very minute.  It's not just the Silicon Valley high tech types that are inventing, innovating and ringing the patent bell.