According to some of the leaders in the field of technology, the US Patent system gives a chance for people to misuse the patents by dragging companies and inventors to court.
This is due to the presence of more lawyers as against inventors according to an inventor Blaise Mouttet. Mouttet in cooperation with the US Patent and Trademark Office has rolled out a program in June 2007.
This program is sure to give more importance to the public in the patent system and is supported by the technological industry at large.
Referred to as Peer-to-Patent, this program requires people to publish patent applications on the Internet open for everyone to go through and offer their expertise and inputs before it is sent to the Patent Office.
By doing this, it is possible to find out effectively if the invention already exists or not and even if it needs a patent. This will also assist the program in achieving its goal of improving the process of patenting and avoiding unnecessary patent infringement lawsuits.
Beth Noveck who is a professor at the New York Law School and one of the brainchilds of the Peer-to-Patent program says the Patent and Trademark office has to be equipped with better information regarding patents to protect those citizens who are truly creative. She also said patents being significant monopoly have to be awarded to the right citizens.
This program has been welcomed and sponsored by the technological industry. Giants like Microsoft, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard and Red Hat as well as small inventors like Mouttet are an active part of this program.
