The first Wireless Patent in the USA - 1897
Guglielmo Marconi (1874 - 1937)

When Marconi sought to patent his system in Britain in 1896, there was considerable controversy as to whether his invention was truly original or only a copy of existing apparatus.  Fortunately for Marconi, his patent was allowed and he was given protection for a fairly broad set of technologies.

Marconi readily admitted that his work incorporated many existing electrical devices, and was largely based on well-known scientific and technical principles. His unique approach was to apply these devices and principles in a new way,  soon to be come known as “wireless telegraphy”. 

After successfully completing his first patent in the UK, Guglielmo Marconi’s next priority was to secure similar protection in the United States.  He did so and was awarded Patent No. 586,193 on July 13, 1897.  The patent included claims for:

1)        Coherer & tapper
2)        Use of antenna & ground
3)        Rotary gap induction coil
4)        Receivers using a coherer or similar detector
5)    Other,  more general/broad claims