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Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick

Wed, Feb 8th 2006 8:32am





UK Rethinking Patent Process

from the good-or-bad dept

While the US is looking at various patent reforms that seem likely to make the system much worse, over in the UK they seem to have a slightly better understanding of the issue -- admitting that they're worried that too many "trivial" or "obvious" patents are being granted. The patent office is asking for comments as they try to think about reform. Of course, the existing patent infrastructure (lots of patent lawyers, basically) are probably likely to try to push in the other direction.

5 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  1.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 8th, 2006 @ 9:13am

    Here's an idea...

    How about making patents that merely force everyone to acknowledge the accomplishments of the patent holder.

    "MegaCorp product made possible thanks to contributions by LittleGuy."

    That way we encourage innovation while not forcing the little guys that actually innovated into oblivion. I'm sure a patent holder could make money the rest of his life just for getting credit for inventing something really popular. Even if he isn't able to lead the market.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    identicon
    Jose G, Feb 8th, 2006 @ 10:16am

    Re: Here's an idea...

    That's a great idea. LittleGuy can then use that to be a leading consultant on the topic and Megacorp isn't grinded to a halt by patent hordes demanding millions for putting the obvious on paper.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    Jerry, Feb 8th, 2006 @ 10:51am

    No Subject Given

    "MegaCorp product made possible thanks to contributions by LittleGuy."

    As a matter of fact, MegaCorp owes its existance to all the little guys that get nothing except acknowledgement for their ideas while we rake in millions...$$$

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  
    identicon
    angry dude, Feb 8th, 2006 @ 10:52am

    Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    But, seriously, how many patents do you have ?
    Obviously none.

    Patent is a limited-time property right and changing it to something else will undermine the whole legal framework in US (employment contracts,
    VC investing, university research commercialization...)
    Next time you write about something, please, think about it first...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  
    identicon
    giafly, Feb 9th, 2006 @ 2:13am

    Why Patents are a Minefield

    "if you do not know, with a reasonable degree of certainty, what the scope of protection of a patent is, you cannot base a business decision on that, particularly one which might involve substantial investment, for example making tools to make a particular "uninfringing" product or such like." - WIPO

    "The very obscure language makes "published" patents extremely difficult to search and review, even by patent professionals." - Wikipedia debate

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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