Vision is renovating the grounds of one of its hotels in Los Angeles. Vision landscaping staff has managed to asexually reproduce a new type of grass that is highly resistant to various diseases and pests. Vision’s in-house design team has also designed and made various detachable fanciful canopies shaped like flowers for the loungers in the pool areas. In an effort to reduce noise in the hotel, Vision’s engineers have developed new insulation for the walls between hotel rooms. This insulation decreases noise far more successfully than the insulation currently used. Finally, about 18 months ago, Vision developed a new type of swing for the hotel’s tot lot. Vision has been test-marketing the swing in the tot lot and allowing children to try it out to determine how well the children like the swing and thus whether it would be suitable for all tot lots in the Vision system.

Activities. Discuss the patentability of the various items and products discussed.