Comments on: Americo Inc. http://susiemadrak.com/2007/12/30/12/46/americo-inc/ Keeping a jaundiced eye on the corporate media. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:45:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Foraker http://susiemadrak.com/2007/12/30/12/46/americo-inc/#comment-133922 Foraker Sun, 30 Dec 2007 18:24:10 +0000 http://susiemadrak.com/2007/12/30/12/46/americo-inc/#comment-133922 Yes, Copyright registration terms are now ridiculously long, life of the author + 75 years or alternatively up to 120 years in some instances. Surely something along the lines of 75 years or the life of the author, whichever is longer, would be sufficient time to recover the costs and reward the author. But the Patent Office has relaxed almost all standards necessary to get a patent? Equally ridiculous. Granted, there have been some infamous lapses in patent quality in recent years, but in general it is now harder than ever to obtain a patent in the US. Recent Patent Office statistics suggest that more than 55% of new applications are rejected. Harsh new regulations that would have made patents even more difficult and expensive have been stayed. With luck (and some legal common sense) the stay will be made permanent. What the patent community needs is a greater emphasis on patent quality, and someone with patent experience to head the patent office for a change. Let's remember that the goal is to encourage innovation, not discourage sharing that knowledge via the patent system. Patent terms, by the way, generally are no more than 20 years worldwide. The US extends some medical patents as compensation for regulatory delays. Trade secrets (the formula for Coca-cola) can last as long as they can be kept secret. Yes, Copyright registration terms are now ridiculously long, life of the author + 75 years or alternatively up to 120 years in some instances. Surely something along the lines of 75 years or the life of the author, whichever is longer, would be sufficient time to recover the costs and reward the author.

But the Patent Office has relaxed almost all standards necessary to get a patent? Equally ridiculous. Granted, there have been some infamous lapses in patent quality in recent years, but in general it is now harder than ever to obtain a patent in the US. Recent Patent Office statistics suggest that more than 55% of new applications are rejected. Harsh new regulations that would have made patents even more difficult and expensive have been stayed. With luck (and some legal common sense) the stay will be made permanent.

What the patent community needs is a greater emphasis on patent quality, and someone with patent experience to head the patent office for a change. Let’s remember that the goal is to encourage innovation, not discourage sharing that knowledge via the patent system.

Patent terms, by the way, generally are no more than 20 years worldwide. The US extends some medical patents as compensation for regulatory delays. Trade secrets (the formula for Coca-cola) can last as long as they can be kept secret.

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