Legendary entertainer Michael Jackson wasn't only the King of Pop. He was also an inventor.This week, we have selected U.S. Patent No. 5,255,452 entitled "Method and Means for Creating Anti-Gravity Illusion" as our first "Patent of the Week." The patent covers a system for allowing a person to lean forward beyond his center of gravity.
According to the patent, Jackson had incorporated the "zero-gravity" dance move in his recorded video performances by the use of cable connecting a harness around his waist. However, since this requires stagehands to connect and disconnect the cables, it was not possible to use this system in live performances. The solution: Shoes having a specially designed heel slot which can be detachably engaged with the hitch member projecting through a stage surface. As the patent shows, Jackson's creativity went well beyond music.
Although it is unlikely that Jackson will be remembered as an inventor, his lucrative dealings in Intellectual Property are very well known. In 1985, he purchased the ATV Music catalogue containing the music publishing rights to about 250 Beatles songs for $47.5 million. Ten years later, he sold a portion of those rights to the Sony Corporation for $95 million.
-Geoff Rogers, geoff.rogers@agg.com
Arnall Golden Gregory LLP serves the business needs of growing public and private companies, helping clients turn legal challenges into business opportunities. We don't just tell you if something is possible, we show you how to make it happen. Please visit our website for more information, http://www.agg.com/.
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