In the US it’s estimated that lawsuits from patent assertion entities, commonly called "patent trolls," have cost the US economy some $300 billion in lost wealth, causing far-reaching repercussions in terms of missed opportunities from companies scared of possible legal exposure. Many in Washington, Silicon Valley, and elsewhere have been calling for the system’s reform.
The cause has been championed by everyone from President Obama, to Google, to the EFF, all of whom argue that the current system disincentivizes innovation, often unfairly rewarding marginal and overly broad claims to inventions at the expense of future entrepreneurs. Follow this stream for the latest news in the fight to bring sensibility to the system.
Oct 17, 2014, 2:17 PM UTCJacob Kastrenakes
Former Google attorney Michelle Lee nominated to run US patent office
Jun 19, 2014, 3:07 PM UTCAdi Robertson
Supreme Court rules software patents that cover 'abstract ideas' are invalid
May 21, 2014, 10:02 PM UTCChris Welch
Patent reform stalls in Senate as legislation is pulled from agenda
Apr 29, 2014, 8:03 PM UTCAdi Robertson
Supreme Court decision makes it easier to stick patent trolls with court costs
Apr 3, 2014, 7:00 PM UTCAdi Robertson
Microsoft, Apple, and others form a pact to make patents cool again
Partnership for American Innovation fights perceptions of a 'broken' patent system
Feb 4, 2014, 3:57 PM UTCAdi Robertson
The ultimate patent troll is going to trial against Google and Motorola
Dec 6, 2013, 8:44 PM UTCAdi Robertson
Supreme Court takes on case that judge warns could spell the 'death' of software patents
Dec 5, 2013, 6:16 PM UTCAdi Robertson
House of Representatives passes widely supported bill to fight patent trolls
Nov 7, 2013, 6:07 PM UTCAdi Robertson
Congress prepares for anti-patent troll vote with Senate hearing
Jun 5, 2013, 6:33 PM UTCCarl Franzen
The White House v. patent trolls: can Obama finally end harmful tech lawsuits?
Jun 4, 2013, 4:58 AM UTCJeff Blagdon
President Obama to take aim at patent trolls with executive actions on Tuesday
Apr 16, 2013, 8:57 AM UTCJeff Blagdon
EFF files to invalidate six 3D printing patent applications, and it's just getting started
Apr 5, 2013, 8:16 PM UTCAdi Robertson
Google asks FTC and Department of Justice to investigate 'patent privateering'
Mar 12, 2013, 2:08 PM UTCNathan Ingraham
Google encourages companies to work together on patent licensing to stop patent trolls
Jan 28, 2013, 10:34 AM UTCAaron Souppouris
Newegg defeats 'shopping cart' patent troll that sued nearly 50 online retailers
Dec 19, 2012, 11:02 PM UTCAdi Robertson
Mojang's Notch and investor Mark Cuban donate $500,000 to EFF for patent reform
Nov 7, 2012, 7:30 PM UTCNilay Patel
Microsoft's chief patent counsel Bart Eppenauer: ‘We believe our patent laws have served the country very well.’
But will he accept our challenge to write his next legal document with a stylus?
Oct 9, 2012, 6:36 PM UTCNathan Ingraham
Google's chief legal officer calls for software patent reform
Aug 21, 2012, 1:03 AM UTCNate Ralph
Google says patent wars 'not helpful to innovation'
Google is continuing the conversation on software patents, arguing that broad, abstract software patents serve only to stymie innovation.
Jul 12, 2012, 7:36 PM UTCT.C. Sottek
Judge Richard Posner says there are serious problems with the US patent system
Judge Richard Posner threw out Apple v. Motorola after expressing frustration with the behavior of the sparring litigants, and in a new op-ed for The Atlantic, he's broadened his distasteful gaze to the whole US patent system.
Jul 11, 2012, 6:05 AM UTCJeff Blagdon
Senate committee to debate ending sales bans stemming from essential patents
Tomorrow, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing to the antitrust implications of sales bans based on standard-essential patents. Typically the patents have been licensed on FRAND terms, but some companies like Motorola are using the threat of bans to extract higher licensing fees.
Jul 5, 2012, 8:34 PM UTCEvan Rodgers
In wake of Apple v. Motorola, Judge Posner speaks: 'it's not clear that we really need patents in most industries'
Judge Richard Posner, who recently dismissed Apple's patent suit against Motorola, spoke with Reuters about his stance on the patent system and how technology companies are using it.
