As further proof that patent reform and patent troll issues are in the national focus, John Oliver spent ten minutes discussing the patent troll problem on his (excellent) Last Week Tonight HBO program, last night. As usual, Oliver is spot on and hilarious. One nice touch, Oliver’s patent title: Computer Thing That Never Works. Here
Patent Trolls
Patent Reform: Coming Soon to a Congress Near You
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Industry Issues, Patent Trolls
Gene Quinn at IP Watchdog is reporting that Rep. Goodlatte is planning to introduce a bill in the House next week that will be very similar to the Innovation Act that the House passed in the last session. Here are some links to commentary on various sides of the patent reform debate that will help…
Hurricane Alice: The broad impact of the Supreme Court’s Software Patent Decision
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Patent Litigation Tips, Patent Trolls
Reactions to the Supreme Court’s CLS Bank v. Alice decision were mixed on both sides of the debate. Everyone seemed to agree that software patents were not dead, but whether the decision would change the software patent landscape was unclear. Just three months later, however, there is good news for retailers. Both the Federal Circuit…
12th Annual Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property & Technology Institute
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Legal Seminars, Patent Trolls
At the end of this month, I will be heading to the Colorado Rockies for the Annual Rocky Mountain IP & Technology Institute. It will be my fourth year in a row attending and presenting at the Institute, which is consistently one of the two best CLE programs that I attend. I will be speaking…
Patent Reform: The Storm Before the Calm
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Industry Issues, Patent Trolls
Patent trolls, and patent plaintiffs generally, were active on Wednesday. April 23. 184 cases were filed on Wednesday, by numerous plaintiffs, including Signal IP, various Joao Bock entities, Interface IP, PanTaurus, Olivistar, TQP Development, eDekka, and c4cast. Of course, it could just be a bizarre coincidence, but as Dennis Crouch points out at Patently-O,…
Main Street Patent Coalition: Giving Voice to How Trolls Harm Retailers
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Industry Issues, Patent Trolls
The Main Street Patent Coalition has formed as a group of trade associations representing main street-type businesses has come together to give voice the epidemic of patent trolls targeting retailers and other Main Street businesses and to push Congress for necessary reforms. The Coalition includes key retail trade associations including:
…
Crowdfunding Patent Troll Defense
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Industry Issues, Patent Trolls
There is lots of talk right now about changing the patent system to reduce the troll problem, and there are plenty of providers coming on the scene offering new ways to level the playing field. But there is one that is especially unique. Personal Audio sued ACE Broadcasting Network in the E.D. Texas for producing…
Patent Reform Moving in the Senate Again?
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Industry Issues, Patent Trolls
After the House passed the Innovation Act, the Senate was expected to act in the first two months of the year. Then in February, the Senate slowed down and their were rumors that a full bill would not make it to a vote before Congress went home to campaign for mid-term elections. But late…
Innovation Act Passes the House: Another Step Forward for Retailers in the Patent Reform Effort
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Industry Issues, Patent Trolls
This morning, the House of Representatives passed the Innovation Act (also known as the Goodlatte bill) by a vote of 325-91. A number of amendments that would have gutted or watered down the bill were defeated.
Key provisions of the Innovation Act, as passed, include:
- Heightened pleading requirements: A complaint must identify the asserted claims
…
Trolling Effects: A New Resource for Retailers
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Patent Trolls
The Electronic Freedom Foundation, along with sponsors including the Consumer Electronics Association, has created the Trolling Effects project to help companies defend against troll. The Trolling Effects website houses a database of troll demand letters. It has the opportunity to become a valuable tool for shedding light on patent trolls. If companies begin to send …