Planet Money The Invention Invention
111 snips
Feb 11, 2026 
Michael Mattioli, a law professor who studies patents and antitrust, gives historical context on Singer, patent pools, and legal rules shaping innovation. The conversation follows sewing-machine wars, how patent pools solved blocking patents, and the rise of modern standards like MPEG. Short stories connect 19th-century fights to today’s tech cooperation and regulation.
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Dream Of A Universal Video Language
- Leonardo Chiodiglione dreamed of a world where everybody could share video and created the MPEG initiative to make that happen.
- He gathered companies and existing technologies to form a standard rather than inventing all parts himself.
Singer’s Late-Night Breakthrough
- Isaac Merritt Singer improved an early sewing machine, found the secret in thread tension, and patented his version in 1851.
- His patent made him wealthy but also sparked a fierce 'sewing machine war' of lawsuits among rivals.
Patent Thickets Block Innovation
- Patent thickets of overlapping claims can choke innovation by making it risky or expensive to build new products.
- The sewing machine combination pooled complementary patents so companies could license and produce machines freely.
