Actor Terrence Howard’s recent claims regarding his patents for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technology were brought to public attention during his appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. The “Empire” star boasted about filing a patent application in 2010, which he claimed laid the foundation for the entire AR/VR world. Howard told Rogan that many companies that developed their AR/VR technology did so based on his abandoned patent application and expressed regret over not pursuing the patent further, as he believed it had the potential to be lucrative. He also stated that the patent application had been cited 31 times in patents filed by major companies such as Sony, Microsoft, Amazon, Hewlett-Packard, Raytheon, and IBM.
However, it should be noted that the application in question was indeed filed by Howard in 2010 and had the publication number US20100271394A1. This patent, titled “World of Windows,” sought to develop a system for merging virtual reality with real-world sensory experiences. Although Howard claimed to have filed 97 patents for various inventions, including jewelry and children’s toys, the specific AR/VR patent application that he referred to was abandoned in 2013 due to a “Failure to Respond to an Office Action.” This means that he does not currently hold an active patent for this technology.
Howard’s claims raise intriguing questions about the patent process and the delicate balance between filing a patent and being granted one. Filing for a patent is the initial step in acquiring exclusive territorial rights to an invention but does not automatically confer those rights. This is because a patent examiner rigorously evaluates each application to determine if the invention meets specific criteria such as novelty, non-obviousness, and usefulness. It is only after this extensive process that an applicant is granted a patent. In Howard’s case, despite his efforts in filing the patent application and receiving a publication number, the patent was ultimately abandoned prior to being granted.
Furthermore, Howard’s statements on the podcast also delved into unproven scientific theories, where he expressed his intention to “kill gravity” and claimed to have discovered new forms of flight and super symmetrical systems. It remains to be seen how these claims align with established scientific principles and whether they have any basis in reality.
In conclusion, while Howard’s assertions about his AR/VR patent application have garnered attention, it is essential to recognise the distinction between filing and being granted a patent, as well as the verifiability of his broader scientific claims. The world of patents and inventions is often complex and multifaceted, and it is crucial to critically evaluate such bold statements in the context of established processes and knowledge.