Mark Nowotarski, President of Markets at Patents & Alliances L.L.C. along with auto insurance expert Donald Bashline FCAS, have filed a patent application for SoberTeen™ Driving Insurance.  SoberTeen encourages safer driving habits through the use of a black box that monitors the car’s speed, breaking force and proximity to other vehicles. Information collected by the black box can also identify other risky driving behaviors, such as drunk driving, texting while driving, cell phone use and driving while drowsy or emotionally distressed. A report describing observed behavior is then provided to parents and teens.

The new patent is already generating a buzz on the patent peer review website, PeerToPatent.com, where investors, technical experts, lawyers and educators evaluate patent applications. The SoberTeen patent application has so far generated 32 discussions on the website. It also has been picked as part of an academic program at Kent State University’s MBA program. “We picked it because it was the most interesting patent application on the site," said Gwen Haney, a student in the program. "Our entire team thought it had great market potential."

"The attention given to the SoberTeen™ insurance product proves the power of transparency and openness in the social media approach to patent examination," Nowotarski said. "Real time interaction with the reviewers has been very valuable. I personally have enjoyed discussing the pros and cons of our invention with the peer review community."