exerpt from article: "...With patent reform legislation stalled in Congress and the courts clogged with cases, Peer-to-Patent’s stringent, open patent examination process is something Yahoo and other companies, particularly those engaged in Internet-based businesses, think is sorely needed. They’re concerned about patents being issued for overly broad or obvious inventions, ones that overlap with previous patents, or ones that represent technologies already in common use.
And they’re particularly worried about questionable patents in the hands of so-called patent trolls, companies that build businesses around obtaining patents and suing others to extract licensing fees. This litigious environment has made companies concerned about the uncertainty and confusion it creates in the marketplace and cautious about the technologies they use..."
The article suggests Peer to Patent could be part of the answer to the application backlog and information deficit problem that currently exists at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The article highlights the Yahoo "drag and drap" patent application to show how open, public participation can help narrow claims to get stronger patents.
Full article: http://www.internetevolution.com/document.asp?doc_id=166494&
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