Updates to the Innovation Act
On Wednesday, November 20, the House Judiciary Committee held a mark-up of H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act, which Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) introduced on October 23. (A “mark-up” is a committee hearing in which members debate, amend, and vote on pending legislation.) The bill seeks to amend the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) to improve […]
Read more >Conversant’s Input on the Innovation Act
At Conversant, we believe patent owners should act knowledgeably, responsibly, rigorously and with integrity. Our patent licensing practices adhere to these values, and we are proud to be known for our industrious, comprehensive, fair, and detail-oriented approach. While patent stakeholders may disagree about the true scope of the litigation-abuse problem, if the public starts to […]
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It’s Time for Patent Licensors to Police Themselves
The release of Conversant’s principles for ethical behavior in the patent licensing industry is a sign of just how far the industry has come in recent years. For years, patent licensing firms have studiously avoided any discussion of “patent trolls” and the harm they cause to small businesses. Most licensing firms refused to even use […]
Read more >Adam Mossof addresses Senate Committee on Commerce
Last week, Adam Mossof, Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law, and Senior Scholar at the Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property, testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance. Here is a link to Professor Mossof’s written testimony about patented […]
Read more >Innovation Alliance Challenges “Patent Troll” Narrative
The Innovation Alliance is launching an important public awareness campaign today that will include features in major media outlets. The campaign, called Who’s Trolling Who, responds to the ‘troll narrative’ that paints patents and patent holders broadly as a drag on the U.S. economy. The campaign includes a website – www.savetheinventor.com – that will share […]
Read more >The Catcher’s Mask: Another Legacy of NPEs
The catcher’s mask was introduced in the 1870s, and at the time it wasn’t very well-received. It was the object of ridicule at the first game where it was worn. Fans and the press both didn’t see the value. As this article in the New York Times details, the catcher’s mask was developed by Harvard […]
Read more >Distinguishing Between Legitimate Non-Practicing Entities and Patent Trolls
Patient licensing has widely been sensationalized as being a real threat to the innovation-promoting benefits of the patent system. However, as detailed in my last post, nothing could be further from the truth. The August 2013 report from the US General Accountability Office (GAO) on US patent infringement litigation confirmed, both directly and indirectly, the […]
Read more >FTC to Study Patent Assertion Entities and Their Impact on Innovation, Competition
Last week the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) posted a notice asking for public comments on its proposed study of patent assertion entities. The proposed study will “examine how PAEs do business and develop a better understanding of how they impact innovation and competition”. You can check out the details of the notice on […]
Read more >Licensing Executives Society 2013 Annual Meeting: A Recap
Today’s post is from David Fraser, Manager, Patent Acquisitions, Conversant. The LES (Licensing Executives Society) held its annual meeting in Philadelphia last week. The annual meeting brings together approximately 1000 licensing professionals for the premiere licensing conference in North America. Participants are from high tech, pharmaceutical, technology transfer and other industries. The conference kicked off on […]
Read more >A New Vision for Patent Prosecution as Asset Managers
Today’s post is authored by Abdul Zindani, Deputy Assistant General Counsel, Patent Prosecution, Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. Often, the Patent Prosecution department in many companies is seen primarily as a quiet backroom function. Prosecution is necessary for filing and administering patents, but nonetheless it’s a cost-center – with a budget that’s a candidate for cutbacks […]
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