News

2000

Favourable PCT International Preliminary Examination Report on Wheelcrown™ - 5 December 2000

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application for Wheelcrown™ has taken another step towards grant with the receipt of a favourable International Preliminary Examination Report. The Examiner has stated that all the claims currently pending are novel, inventive and have industrial applicability.

National Enterprise Awards postponed - 2 December 2000

The Coca-Cola National Enterprise Awards, originally scheduled for December 2000, have been postponed until early in 2001. The delay is to facilitate the presentation of the awards by An Táiniste, Mary Harney T.D.

Levitat short-listed for National Enterprise Award - 4 November 2000

Levitat has been chosen as one of just 6 businesses to be short-listed for the Coca-Cola sponsored National Enterprise Awards. The final decision of the judging panel, which is chaired by
Dr Chris Horn, CEO and Founder of IONA Technologies PLC, will be announced in December.

The short-listed businesses are:

• Botanicoll Pharmaceuticals - a producer of holistic medicines for the veterinary industry
• Levitat - an innovation house developing proprietry products


• OWJO Technologies - a software developer of wireless internet messaging systems


• PulseLearning - an e-learning content development company


• Some Healthcare - the producer of a non-invasive, drug-free pain-relief system


• The Inventor's Garage - a product development service provider

Levitat chosen as business name - 1 November 2000

Levitat has been chosen as the name of Stephen Murphy's start-up business. The business aims to be an Irish company that can lead the world in innovation. The start-up is being formed on the Genesis Enterprise Programme, with support from Enterprise Ireland.

The business is already developing it's first technology, Wheelcrown™, which is a new wheel-fixing technology for heavy trucks and buses. Wheelcrown™ is faster, simpler and safer™ than the current system.

Wheelcrown™ PCT application published - 19 October 2000

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application for Wheelcrown™ has now been published, along with its International Search Report. This represents another step towards grant of international patents for this promising technology.

Irish Patent Office grants patent for Wheelcrown™ - 30 August 2000

A short-term Irish patent for Wheelcrown™ has been granted by the Irish Patent Office.

Favourable PCT International Search report for Wheelcrown™ - 27 July 2000

The International Search Report for the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application fo Wheelcrown™ has been issued. The favourable report cites 3 documents, all of which are cited as 'A' citations; this means that they are of general technological background but do not directly anticipate Wheelcrown™.

The next hurdle for the application will be the Preliminary International Examination. This will be carried out by an experienced International Patent Examiner towards the end of this year.

Stephen Murphy wins second engineering award - 25 April 2000

Stephen Murphy has been presented with a second engineering award for his work on Wheelcrown™. The Tim Sexton Memorial Award was presented at a ceremony in Cork Institute of Technology (CIT).

The award recognises the outstanding achievement of the year by any past graduate of the Mechanical & Manufacturing Degree at CIT. Stephen was chosen for the collective achievement of a first-class honours degree, filing a patent on his Wheelcrown™ technology and starting his business to develop the technology.

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Application filed for Wheelcrown™ technology - 25 March 2000

A Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Application has been filed for Wheelcrown™. This single application, claiming priority from the initial Irish Application, progresses the patent in over 100 countries worldwide.

The initial search and examination phases will be carried out centrally for all signatory countries. The application will later enter the national phase in each country for which patent protection is required.

Wheel-fixing technology christened Wheelcrown™ - 15 March 2000

From today Stephen Murphy's patented wheel-fixing technology will be known as Wheelcrown™. The name is intended to convey that Wheelcrown™ is a high-quality solution to the problems associated with wheel-fixings.