PatentBrief

Stories

The inventions that shaped the world.

Long-form narratives exploring landmark patents — the people behind them, the fights over them, and why they still matter.

The Patent Behind Every Modern CPU

Federico Faggin held US 3,821,715 — the foundation patent for the microprocessor. What happened next defines how the entire semiconductor industry works today.

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How GPS Left Government Hands and Changed Everything

GPS was built for missiles. The technology that now guides every Uber driver was classified military infrastructure — until Reagan gave it away.

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The $1 Billion Slide

A single gesture — finger moving right across a locked screen — touched off the most expensive patent war in smartphone history.

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