Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Law
Protecting American Innovators By Combating The Decline Of Patents Granted To Small Entities, W. Keith Robinson
Protecting American Innovators By Combating The Decline Of Patents Granted To Small Entities, W. Keith Robinson
Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters
The new patent laws and recent economic trends indicate that there is a difficult time ahead for small entities. American entrepreneurs and small businesses have created several of the major technological innovations in the past forty years. However, statistics indicate that patents granted to small entities have declined. In the wake of this trend, the U.S. Patent system has undergone significant changes. Currently, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is in the process of implementing the policies and procedures outlined in its five-year strategic plan. Further, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (“AIA”), the largest patent reform law since …
Current And Potential Methods To Undermine A Competitor’S U.S. Patent Application, W. Keith Robinson, M. Haq
Current And Potential Methods To Undermine A Competitor’S U.S. Patent Application, W. Keith Robinson, M. Haq
Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters
The current PTO procedures provide a few choices for a third party to influence the prosecution of a competitors patent application prior to issuance. In the case of protests and public use hearings, the third party may submit documents and explain their relevancy, but must know of the application’s existence prior to publication in order to meet the timeliness requirement. In the case of third-party submissions, the third party has a short two-month window post-publication, but cannot explain the relevancy of the documents submitted. In each case, the time frame within which a third party can act is extremely limited. …