By Diane Bartz
WASHINGTON, April 14 (Reuters) - A bill aimed at curbing frivolous patent lawsuits and clearing a years-long backlog of patent applications gained the backing on Thursday of the U.S. House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee.
The committee voted 32-3 for the bill that allows more public feedback on applications to prevent bad patents from being approved and gives the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent office more control over its finances.
The measure, which must still go before the full House, is similar to a bill that breezed through the Senate on March 8 and has the backing of President Barack Obama.
It would grant patents to the first person to file, rather than the first to invent, which makes it easier for companies applying for patents in a variety of countries.
'These reforms discourage frivolous suits, enhance patent quality and streamline international principles,' said committee chairman Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican.
The bill would allow outside parties to submit information about patent applications to examiners to show why patents should not be issued.
It also ends the practice of diverting fees collected by the patent office to general government revenue and gives it fee-setting authority to hire badly needed examiners and upgrade its technology.
Supporters said they hope the bill will help the patent office clear out a backlog of more than 700,000 applications that are awaiting approval or rejection.
The bill sets rules for allowing patents to be challenged after they are granted, which supporters say is cheaper than litigation.
The legislation also authorizes a special re-examination of business method patents, like Amazon.com's one-click purchase patent.
The Supreme Court last year rejected a business method patent involving a way to hedge energy costs, but did not shut the door on them altogether.
(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Tim Dobbyn) Keywords: PATENTS/CONGRESS (diane.bartz@thomsonreuters.com; + 1 202 898 8313; Reuters Messaging: diane.bartz.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
WASHINGTON, April 14 (Reuters) - A bill aimed at curbing frivolous patent lawsuits and clearing a years-long backlog of patent applications gained the backing on Thursday of the U.S. House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee.
The committee voted 32-3 for the bill that allows more public feedback on applications to prevent bad patents from being approved and gives the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent office more control over its finances.
The measure, which must still go before the full House, is similar to a bill that breezed through the Senate on March 8 and has the backing of President Barack Obama.
It would grant patents to the first person to file, rather than the first to invent, which makes it easier for companies applying for patents in a variety of countries.
'These reforms discourage frivolous suits, enhance patent quality and streamline international principles,' said committee chairman Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican.
The bill would allow outside parties to submit information about patent applications to examiners to show why patents should not be issued.
It also ends the practice of diverting fees collected by the patent office to general government revenue and gives it fee-setting authority to hire badly needed examiners and upgrade its technology.
Supporters said they hope the bill will help the patent office clear out a backlog of more than 700,000 applications that are awaiting approval or rejection.
The bill sets rules for allowing patents to be challenged after they are granted, which supporters say is cheaper than litigation.
The legislation also authorizes a special re-examination of business method patents, like Amazon.com's one-click purchase patent.
The Supreme Court last year rejected a business method patent involving a way to hedge energy costs, but did not shut the door on them altogether.
(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Tim Dobbyn) Keywords: PATENTS/CONGRESS (diane.bartz@thomsonreuters.com; + 1 202 898 8313; Reuters Messaging: diane.bartz.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.