The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, Public Law 112-29, 125 Stat 284 (2011) (the “AIA”) changed the American patent system from a “first to invent” to a “first inventor to file” system on March 16, 2013. It did so by replacing the section of the Patent Act that that defines what what is not novel — in … Continue reading What is an “AIA patent” and why it matters →

The patent laws will be changing the day that President Obama signs into law the Leahy Smith America Invents Act, which finally cleared both houses of Congress last night.  Some say that these are the biggest changes to U.S. patent law  since the modern Patent Act was put into place some 60 years ago.  The … Continue reading The immediate effects of the America Invents Act →

While I was on vacation a week ago, the House passed its version of the America Invents Act, H.R. 1249.  There were several last minute amendments made to the bill, including a compromise on funding provisions for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. For those interested, I have made a comparison between the Senate and House … Continue reading Reconciling the Senate and House patent reform bills →

To update my post earlier today,  ... Professor Crouch reports today in this post —  First-To-File and the Constitutional Argument - Patent Law Blog (Patently-O) — that two competing groups of legal scholars are in the process of rounding up professors to sign letters to Congress arguing each side of the question of whether the proposed … Continue reading Opposition to patent reform bill in the House continues to organize →