Patent Reform Act of 2007 - Update (Part 1)
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee this week unanimously voted to move patent reform legislation out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives, a move that makes the Patent Reform Act of 2007 closer to becoming law. The Senate Judiciary Committee, however, is still evaluating similar legislation and has yet to vote a similar bill out of committee. It's anyone's guess as to when a final bill will be sent to the President for his signature.
Those who have followed patent reform legislation will be familiar with the current Judiciary Committee bill, which would, among other things, change the US patent system from one that awards priority of invention to the first person to file a patent application for an invention, regardless of whether someone else came up with the idea first. The Judiciary Committee's bill retains reforms that would affect the course and outcome of future patent litigation matters in the US.
