Nine months after its initial call to action on patent reform, the White House has introduced executive actions and an updated progress report on its efforts. The executive actions announced today include crowdsourcing prior art searching, greater training for patent examiners, and pro bono assistance to independent inventors and small businesses. The report further called for Congress to pass patent litigation reform legislation.
The following may be attributed to Charles Duan, Director of Public Knowledge’s Patent Reform Project:
“We applaud the White House for its continuing efforts to protect American innovators and the technology-consuming public by combatting abusive patent practices. Patent abuse is a growing problem that detriments the public. The steps being taken are not enormous steps, but they are steps in the right direction.
“More importantly, we are encouraged by the White House’s continuing support for legislation to curb abusive patent litigation and to improve transparency in the patent system. Congress should take note of the President’s voice among the many voices urging the need for this reform, and work toward passing a strong, comprehensive bill as expediently as possible.”
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