Thursday, February 20, 2014

BAD BEHAVIOR

Three years ago, the America Invents Act replaced our 220 year old first-to-invent system with a first-to-file system.  Now, large corporations with their great resources have a decided advantage against independent inventors like me.

Now, Congress is at it again.  They are attempting to shield large corporations from nuisance lawsuits and demand letters by "trolls", non-operating entities who acquire patent rights from inventors for the primary purpose of extorting money from corporations whom they accuse of infringement. 

That problem has some validity in fact.

But the new legislation would go much further, and would undermine the ability of legitimate inventors to defend themselves from infringers, especially when they are deep-pocketed corporations.

Some of these changes would let infringers force a delay in proceedings by requiring the Patent Office to reexamine the validity of the patent in question, even multiple times. And worst, if the inventor loses, which would be likely if they are fighting the battle alone, then they would be required to pay the infringer's attorney fees.

Why does Congress continually side with large entities, when it was independent inventors who produced the inventions that have fueled our economy for so many years.  Why?  You know why.  Follow the money.

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