Posted On: November 29, 2006
Supreme Patent Reform
Some Supreme Court justices seem willing to raise the bar to obtain patent coverage. A patent provides "limited monopoly" (20 years) for teaching an "invention." The "teaching" is in the form of publication of the patent itself. When a patent expires, the invention it has "taught" is in the public domain, intended to enrich society as a whole. In discussing a case before them, the Justices quip about what level of invention merits patent coverage. See an amusing account by Christopher S. Rugaber in Business Week at http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8LMBNH80.html.
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