What is Apple most valuable?

Some think it's the brand, some think it's the product, and some think it's the technology. But there is one thing that no one can ignore, and that is its patented technology.

In Wen Ming's technical knowledge about Apple, there are more than 30,000 unique patented technologies of Apple, which are derived from the accumulation of decades of Apple's company in his previous life.

These patented technologies are developed by Apple itself or acquired by Apple from other companies or developers, and the number of these patents is increasing by more than 1,000 pieces per year.

Of course, because Apple has never appeared in this world before Wenming's arrival, many of the patented technologies in Wenming's mind have now become the patented technologies of other companies.

But even so, the amount of patented technical knowledge that Wenming has is extraordinary.

"If I sell the patented technology, when I want to use it myself in the future, won't I have to pay others?"

Losing one's own fishing rod or even a fishing net for a few fish is unacceptable to Wen Ming.

Take the Android mobile phone system known all over the world as an example, although it is a free and open source system, any manufacturer can use it, but it is not free to use. In the Android system, there are many patented technologies belonging to Microsoft, and every year those manufacturers who manufacture Android mobile phones have to pay a batch of patent fees to Microsoft.

If there is Apple in this world, then Apple can actually get a certain amount of patent royalties from Android phone manufacturers.

Patents, you don't need to pay money for your own use, others have to give you money for use, if you don't give it, you can sue him.

When he returned to Apple to wait for Cui Chuanming's good news, Wen Ming kept thinking about how he could get more money in a short period of time.

"In fact, the most important thing to do now is to apply for those patented technologies in my mind in advance."

After giving up the idea of selling the patented technology, Wen Ming suddenly thought of a problem, that is, the patent that was not applied for was not a patent at all.

Take a Chinese company in the previous life, for example, invented the VCD that was popular all over the world at that time, but it went bankrupt because it did not apply for a patent. Many people don't know that the world's first VCD was invented in China.

(PS: Interested bosses can search for Wan Yan.) ）

"In addition to arranging reliable people to help me apply for patents as soon as possible, I also need to find a way to make more money as soon as possible."

There are professional companies that can help deal with this kind of thing when applying for patents, but because there are too many patented technologies in Wen Ming's mind, the value is too great. Therefore, he can't ask those companies to help him apply, and he can't apply one by one.

Thinking of this, Wen Ming picked up his mobile phone and dialed Cage and Sith respectively.

Cage is a student at Harvard Law School, and although he is still a long time away from graduation, he has a very good relationship with Wen Ming and is definitely a trustworthy candidate. And Sith himself is a well-known lawyer, and his knowledge of intellectual property is much higher than Wen Ming.

Of course, the Sith is also someone who can be trusted.

After agreeing with Cage and Sith to meet as soon as possible, Wen Ming arranged for the company's employees to invest in building a research room.

The role of this laboratory is not to 'resurrect' the dinosaur project, but to help him apply for patents as a cover. Although many of the patented technologies are conceived in the vernacular, more of them still need research plans and progress as footnotes.

Otherwise, an ordinary person who goes to the patent office to apply for a patent for a spaceship will definitely be driven out as a neuropathy.

The investment in this research laboratory was set at about 3 million US dollars by Wen Ming, and the reason why it needed so much was entirely to buy some professional equipment and hire some senior researchers.

And the choice of address is not in this warehouse of Apple, but in a warehouse next door......

"When will I be able to have my own company building?"

Wen Ming thought of the spaceship headquarters that Apple had not yet built and put into use in his previous life, and his heart was itching, but he didn't have so much money to invest in the spaceship headquarters now.

After arranging this work, Cage had already rushed to Apple's warehouse headquarters, and it would take some time for Lawyer Sith to arrive because he was in New York.

"I want to hire you as an intern in Apple's legal affairs department."

Talking to Cage, Wen Ming didn't beat around the bush, but said directly: "At the same time, I want to invite Sith to be the head of Apple's legal affairs department." ”

Cage was stunned for a moment and hesitated: "Wenming, you know, I haven't graduated yet, and I probably don't have much time to help you solve your problem." ”

Wen Ming smiled and said, "So, you're just an intern, a part-time intern. ”

Cage was silent for a while, then nodded and said, "No problem, I believe I can complete the work you gave me." ”

Many years later, when Cage wrote his memoirs, he wrote: "I really wanted to reject Wen Ming at that time, because in my opinion at that time, or in the eyes of the world at that time, Apple was just a small game company, and it was just a fluke that Wen Ming's genius idea completed a game that swept the world." At that time, not many people were optimistic about the future of Apple. You must know that a small game company like Apple is rising every year, and there are ...... of bankruptcy every day"

"Fortunately, I didn't refuse Wen Ming's invitation, so I was fortunate to witness the rise of an empire!"

Now Cage, of course, doesn't know how he will write his memoirs in the future, but asks with some worry: "Is your company in legal trouble?" ”

In Cage, Wen Ming suddenly wanted to set up a legal affairs department, naturally because Apple had legal troubles. But he really couldn't imagine how a small game company could have trouble in this regard.

After Wen Ming heard Cage's question, he was a little moved, because Cage asked if he was in trouble after agreeing to join the company. There is a very big difference between the former and the latter.

"Not at the moment, but there will definitely be many in the future."

Wen Ming's Apple in his previous life, like the world's giant Microsoft, has a lot of lawsuits to fight every year, and often pays high fines. Of course, the costs, damages, and fines of these lawsuits are nothing compared to Apple's annual profits.

"Your first job was actually to help me apply for a patent."

Hearing the content of the work, Cage said with an exaggerated expression: "Are you kidding me?" What patents does a game company have? Your Plants vs. Zombies is a mini-game, do you want to patent those zombies? Or are you going to patent potatoes? ”

Wen Ming smiled: "Why can't it? Maybe Plants vs. Zombies can be made into a movie in the future, or other games produced by our company can also be made into a movie. ”

Wen Ming thought of the game "Angry Birds", which is more powerful in terms of operation than "Plants vs. Zombies". Not only was the Red Bird appointed as an honorary ambassador by the United Nations, but it was also adapted into a movie of the same name, grossing more than $300 million worldwide.

Cage sighed a little appointingly and said, "I think these tasks are too simple for me. So, I'm asking to make the job more difficult, for example, to help you sue those game crackers. ”

The popularity of "Plants vs. Zombies" will naturally be targeted by the crackers, even on the Internet in the United States, cracked versions have also appeared, and other countries naturally need to be said. In the Internet era, the information channel between countries is almost non-existent.

Wen Ming shook his head and said, "No kidding, the patent I'm talking about is not just for games, it can even be said that the game is only one ten-thousandth." ”

As he spoke, Wen Ming pulled out a sketch from the scratch paper on his desk: an apple that had been bitten down.

"It's going to be our Apple trademark, and you'll need to register it for me first."