Replies to post #36635 on First American Scientific Corp. (fka FASC)

[terry hallinan]

PATENT PROTECTION? I wonder.. now that 47 KDSs have been built.. if we safe from having somebody look inside the bowels of those KDSs and extracting stuff that they can use to build their own similar-type gadgets?

Reverse engineering an invention is treading on dangerous ground in the U.S. but not necessarily elsewhere. Improvements and uses can also be patented though may not be as effective as the original patent.

Expiration of patents was previously 17 years from the time the patent was issued in the U.S. For newer patents, the expiration is 20 years from the time the patent is applied for - a crucial difference.

I have no idea what the patent expiration time is in other countries.

If Brian doesn't know when patents expire, be certain partners, licensees and competitors do.

From the 10-K:

Patents Issued

Device and Method for Comminution – US Patent #6,024,307 and Canadian patent # 2,218,429

A patent was issued for the KDS as a device for comminution on November 24, 1998 under U.S. patent number 6,024,307.

Cryogenic Comminution of Rubber – US Patent # 6,655,167 B2

On April 20, 2001, the Company filed a patent application in the United States to protect its research into developing a process for cryogenically freezing non-tire scrap rubber and processing it into a micro-fine powder using the KDS equipment. The patent was issued on December 2, 2003.

Method of Recovery of Precious Metal and Heavy Minerals – US Patent # 6,682,005 B2

On May 4, 2001, the Company filed a patent application in the United States to protect its research into developing a process for disintegrating and separating precious metal from hard rock without the use of chemicals. The patent was issued on January 27, 2004.

Method for Recovery of Fuel and Clay from Biomass – US Patent # 7481385 B2

In November 2002, the Company filed a patent application in the United States to protect its research for processing wet biomass through the KDS equipment. Some of the subject matter in the application was approved as unique and the new patent was issued on January 27, 2009.Recovery of Fuel and Clay from Biomass – Japanese Patent # 4487268

In January 2004, the Company filed a patent application in Japan to protect its research for the processing of wet biomass through the KDS equipment. Some of the subject matter in the application was approved as unique and the new patent was issued on April 9, 2010.

A Comminuting and Drying Method and its Process – Japanese Patent # 4546409

In March 2006, the Company filed a patent application in Japan to protect its technology for the process of comminution and drying of materials and its process. The application was approved as unique and the new patent was issued on July 9, 2010.

Dispositivo y Metodo Para Pulverizar – Mexico Patent # 212680

A patent for a “machine and method for pulvering” based on the core US patent was issued by the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial on February 27, 2003.

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1002822/000100201411000554/fasc10ka1-6302011.htm

Good question, Sam. A very good question.

Best, Terry