Chicago-based Intellectual Property Exchange (“IPXI”) plans to offer its first patent family for purchase via what IPXI calls unit license rights. Any entity will be able to purchase unit license rights that allow it to use the patent technologies — in this case, a portfolio of approximately 600 patents — a set number of times.
Vermont Takes on Patent Trolls
Vermont has passed a bill, which the Governor is expected to sign into law (H.299) called “Bad Faith Assertions of Patent Infringements” — hat tip to Eric Goldman for identifying the law. Instead of defining bad faith assertions, it provides factors that may identify bad faith assertions, including:
- Failing to identifying the patent(s)-at-issue;
The SHIELD Act is Back Promising a Loser Pays System for Retailers
The SHIELD Act — Saving High-Tech Innovators from Egregious Legal Disputes — is back. The SHIELD Act was originally introduced in the last Congress and would have awarded costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, to a prevailing defendant when, upon completion of the case, a Court held that the patentholder’s case had not had a reasonable
President Obama Addresses the Patent Troll “Problem”
With a hat tip to Dennis Crouch at Patently-O, President Obama recently addressed the patent troll “problem” as part of a Google Fireside Hangout. The patent troll question and the President’s answer start shortly after the 16:00 mark of the following video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kp_zigxMS-Y
President Obama’s answer is straightforward and focused upon addressing the problem.
Can Massive Troll Costs Prompt Meaningful Patent Reform?
Last week, I wrote about the findings in an article from Boston University analyzing some excellent and thought-provoking data from RPX and the Coalition for Patent Fairness. I also looked at takeaways for retailers. While the data identifies some interesting trends, the most valuable role of the article is acting as a wake up call
SHIELD Act: A Step Towards Patent Troll Litigation Reform?
Meaningful patent troll reform may finally be on the horizon. Last year retailers across the country had high hopes for patent reform. Unfortunately, the version of the America Invents Act that was signed into law by President Obama in September 2011 offered little or no help in stopping or even significantly slowing patent trolls. But
Another Call for Patent Reform
The Wall Street Journal continues its focus on the patent troll problem with a provocative article by columnist Holly Finn: A Patently Obvious Problem. Finn notes the amazing growth the U.S. has seen in issued patents – 70,000 U.S. patents issued in 1977 compared to almost 250,000 in 2011. Finn provides a succinct description of
Actual Patent Reform: Addressing the Patent Troll Problem
Andy Kessler, a former hedge fund manager and the author of “Eat People”, has a compelling opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) arguing for further patent reform to reign in the damage patent tolls are doing to the economy. As I have discussed many times, last year’s patent reform (the America Invents
Senate Passes the America Invents Act: Patent Reform Headed to the White House
The Senate passed the America Invents Act (the “AIA”) this evening without amendment. So, patent reform is headed to the White House where President Obama is expected to sign the AIA into law within the next two weeks. Based upon that, I will be following up my post from earlier today identifying four key provisions
What Patent Reform Means for Retailers: 4 Key Provisions of the America Invent Act
The patent blogs are abuzz with detailed analysis of cloture votes and Senate procedure. I will not repeat what my colleagues have already ably done — Patently-O and Patent Docs are two examples. The critical take-away is that the Senate has limited debate on the House version of the America Invents Act, H.R. 1249, (the