Who Will Patent Reform Help?

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[Editorial]
Who Will Patent Reform Help?

Jack Browne | ED Online ID #15476 | April 26, 2007

This year's attempt at pushing patent reform was introduced to Congress recently by a pair of
Democrats, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee; and
Representative Howard Berman (D-California), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee
Courts/Internet and Intellectual Property Subcommittee. The legislation, The Patent Reform Act
of 2007, is actually an updated version of a similar bill introduced in 2006. To put it simply, large
technology companies want changes to the patent laws. But some of the smaller companies fear
that these changes may leave them exposed.

Some of the largest United States companies would like to see sweeping changes to the patent
laws, especially in those cases where such laws have hindered profitability because of patents held
by much smaller firms. Of course, changes that favor the larger companies that can afford the
additional legal expenses for filing and protecting patent rights will do little for the smaller,
more creative firms that often rely on one or two key innovations as the basis for their business.

At least one group, the Innovation Alliance (www.innovationalliance.net), wishes to use The
Patent Reform Act of 2007 to improve the quality of granted patents in this country, rather than
make it easier for larger companies to take away innovations from smaller firms. Especially those
working in technology should not have to be reminded that the backbone of technology in this
country is the small and creative firms not afraid to gamble on new ideas.

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Reader Comments

Engineers knoes no grammer? Unpossible.

Ter -April 30, 2007

When I read the headline, I wondered why or how anyone would try to get a patent for help reform. Then I realized the problem was just sloppy grammar. It should read "Whom Will Patent Reform Help?"

BT -April 26, 2007

Important subject, not enough information.

Anonymous -April 26, 2007 (Article Rating:

)

Indeed: The US is not the only country in which patents are filed. I believe it might even be a good idea to allow that full disclosure of inventions become a part of a body, similar to the United Nations but an autonomous, separate ministry that draws its capital from managing the release of then approved, intellectual property. The ministry would be funded, for its always growing operation, from the always growing new ideas that pay for approval. It would be subject to an independent review ministry that relied heavily on statistics, automation, and rule of law based on historical financials and relative fairness (you invented something and borrowed 20.00 pesos to print and mail it, the person, or spouse who gave you the 20.00 pesos does not get fifty percent ownership, But they will get more than 20 pesos, for having courage, faith, vision and a willingness to spend that money on a gamble.) Of course this is reasonable and IT REMOVES THE LAWYERS oooohh! To change the law is one thing, remove even the possibility of rampnat and vulgar litigation, the lawyers, hence the law, will NEVER allow it!! Europe appears ready to embrace the notion of software patents-this would be a shot through the heart of nearly all open source efforts and would add to the power and presence of litigation, especially in the entertainment field. Perhaps we need another world, a -Second Life- where the creeping mire of litigation and penalty for private, individual, or small business crteativity is NOT penalized and suject to continual scrutiny of a positive, supportive and guiding nature. A nature that allowed one to know if ones idea was truly UNIQUE and SPECIAL, and if not, WHY. Otherwise, there simply cannot be any reform because the manner of thinking we have already done, leaves us with our present very problematic system that cannot be fixed at our original or presently satgnated manner of thinking...!

I am listening,...

Dr.T -April 26, 2007

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