I don’t think any magic will happen just because the president has signed the first patent reform since 1952, but I’m hopeful that we’ll see some benefits. Patents will be processed more quickly, and that has to be a good thing. There will be less wasteful litigation. And maybe the president is right that buried in the 700,000 unprocessed patent applications will be “the next miracle drug, the next idea that will launch the next Fortune 500 company.” In any case, it proved that our government could do a significant reform that doesn’t obviously suck in the 112th Congress. It means that when historians call this the second Do-Nothing Congress it won’t actually be literally true.
Just so you know, the bill is the baby of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) who are the respective chairmen of two judiciary committees. They don’t agree on much, but they agreed on this. BIPARTISANSHIP!!
Most people will never know this happened, which is probably why is was possible for it to happen at all.
Yeah, I know, it’s not too sexy, but it let’s not ignore it when something decent actually happens.
If you haven’t listened to the This American Life, titled “When Patents Attack,” you should.
I hope that this law will relegate the US Circuit Court in Marshall, TX to back being a backwater of the justice system.
That would be nice. It should cut down on the litigation with the new first to file gets the patent rule.
Yep, I was right. Not sexy.
If you really want to drum up interest in patents, go for the weird ones:
http://www.bpmlegal.com/w5901666.html
Patent trolling was a serious issue, and I’m hoping these reforms get that under control. But it’s kind of sad that patent reform – which will protect the rich – is the only thing Congress feels like passing these days.
Hey, patent reform might benefit companies with a lot of resources, but what about all the nobodies who submitted patents that might make them somebodies, who have been waiting for three years for approval?
I can’t get excited about patent reform because:
a.) I don’t know how to reform the system because I don’t know enough about the economics
b.) I don’t know how much it will help for long-term growth
c.) I don’t know if this bill is a good one
d.) I’m wary of bipartisanship, especially with this Republican Party…
“The word bipartisan means some larger-than-usual deception is being carried out.”
~George Carlin
Well, her is Wired’s write-up on it.
It is probably good for the future, but it still allows way too much in the way of stupid lawsuits about really stupid things. An example they use is the crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich (where you cut the crust off the bread.) That IS patented and anyone could be sued over it.
Also, it doesn’t look like cellular phone handset makers are ever going to stop suing each other over patent violations, as wasteful as the suits are. There really ought to be the ability for the President or a Congressional committee or something to just call all of these off. Duh. You’re all making very similar products, get over it. It shouldn’t mean you’re necessarily violating patents.
It’s interesting and there are some definite improvements. Again I’m more concerned with the hell that is copyright, but patent reform is important. I’d be interested in seeing some Trade Secret adjustments as well.
I remember vividly during the campaign:
What do we want?
Patent protection and tort reform!
When do we want it?
NOW!!!