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W.W. EY.com. You're getting 250.

250 different ways an umbrella can prevent wind from making a collapse.

Wow. Here I am at the Patents and Trademarks Resource

Center at the Detroit Public Library filtering through the dozens of

different ways to improve the classic umbrella.

It's only a slight exaggeration to say that this is where inventor's dreams take root.

They've just got so many ideas going through their head, but then one goes ding and they think that that's the greatest idea in the world and it's going to make them a million dollars.

That's not the truth most of the time but still.

My name is Mary Cordeban and my official title is the PTRC representative. I came to Mary because I want to understand what it's

like to be an inventor when the next great idea is still just a passing thought in your

head. Okay so this is a seven-step process.

So the first step is to brainstorm terms describing your invention.

Today I have a very specific invention I want to search for, a patent that dates back to 1964.

It's a seatbelt thing where you can't turn on your car if your seatbelts not in.

Now, everybody would be forced to wear seatbelts.

So would I type in seatbelts or car?

I start scrolling through patents related to seat belts, safety belts, automotive technologies.

Passive restraint systems, having the belt or harness connected to a member's

slitable in a vehicle.

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