The above-titled Forum is sponsored by the National Small Business Association and the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Baltimore Sections of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The Forum will focus on the impact on patenting practice, patent protection, and on science and engineering jobs.
The following is excerpted from the Angel Venture Forum's email invitation to this event:
As major changes in U.S. patent law are adopted, a radical shift in the landscape for the process of seeking and obtaining patent protection for innovations is taking place.
Recent mega-acquisitions of patent portfolios with unprecedented valuations by large multinational corporations underscore a trend wherein a growing share of U.S. patents are owned by a few large multinational corporations.
On March 8, 2011, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the S. 23 that would make fundamental adverse changes to a 220 year old patent system that has made the United States the world leader in generating new inventions and fueling start-up companies that historically have been the greatest engines of job creation. On April 14, 2011, the House Judiciary Committee sent a version of H.R. 1249 to the House which mirrors S. 23 and it passed the House in June, 2011.
This legislation, touted as exemplars of "patent reform" and "harmonization" was passed with with little to no input from small business and individual inventors and a lot of input from large multinational corporations.
H.R. 1249 is scheduled for a vote in the the Senate in early September. Please take the time to learn how this will change the landscape for start-ups thinking they can rely on patents.
SPEAKERS & PANELISTS:
Paul Michel, Chief Judge (retired) of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit which is the highest court specializing in patent law and from an official from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
John Duffy, University of Virginia School of Law
Valerie Gaydos, Angel Investor, Angel Venture Forum
Ron Hira, Rochester Institute of Technology, co-author of "Outsourcing America"
Ron Katznelson, Entrepreneur-inventor and President of Bi-Level Technologies
Henry Nothhaft, Serial Entrepreneur and Author of "Great Again"
Herbert Schwartz, Patent litigator and author of "Patent Law and Practice," a book used by all federal judges.
DATE & TIME: Monday, August 29, 2011; 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
LOCATION:
UC Washington Center
1608 Rhode Island Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
There is no cost to attend this forum. Registration deadline is August 26. Register here.
The main problems with the patent system stem basically from problems of inefficiency at the USPTO -- due in large part to lack of funds. I still fail to see how most provisions of the current so-called patent reform bill address the patent office's organizational challenges (especially with the potential for fee diversion still being part of the picture).
http://www.aminn.org/patent-reform-act-2011-s23
Posted by: patent litigation | August 28, 2011 at 11:52 PM