Future Scenarios, IP Tax Evasion, Informal Sector, And Patents In Africa 13/12/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – A conference here on intellectual property, innovation and the public interest included a look at different possible futures for Africa, global IP tax evasion schemes, a discussion of the strong informal sector, and some views on the relative weakness of patent quality on the continent.
Medicines Patent Pool Strikes Deal With Bristol-Myers Squibb 12/12/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The Medicines Patent Pool today announced a new agreement with biopharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb for an HIV medicine, which is expected to increase access in 110 developing countries.
Crowdfunding ‘Operation Ninja STAR’ Arms Small Business Against Patent ‘Trolls’ 10/12/2013 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Small businesses form the backbone of the American economy, but many see patent assertion entities (PAEs), or, “patent trolls” and troll lawsuits as serious wrenches thrown into these economic engines of innovation and ideas. So, Article One Partners (AOP), a global patent research community that crowdsources its research for tech giants and law firms the likes of Microsoft and Google, today launched “Operation Ninja STAR,” a crowdfunding effort to help small businesses defend themselves against PAEs behaving badly.
Global Patent Harmonisation Proceeding Outside WIPO – And Gently Within 25/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment For years, the developed countries that own the vast majority of the world’s patents – and therefore pay the majority of the revenues of the World Intellectual Property Organization – have looked unsuccessfully for a way to increase harmonisation of the global patent system through the UN agency. Developed countries have moved forward on their own, while WIPO is taking a gentle approach, encouraging member states “look below the headline issue” to a more “granular” level.
Goodlatte Patent Bill Heads To House; Trolls Not So Bad, After All? 22/11/2013 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As a bill aimed at curbing patent “trolls” and frivolous patent lawsuits makes its way through the United States Congress and states fight their own troll battles in the name of consumer protection, some patent attorneys and stakeholder groups want lawmakers to slow down and take a breath.
Authors Look At Positive Impact Of Patents On Public Domain 22/11/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A study emphasising the positive effect of the patent system on the public domain was presented this week by two of its co-authors as a side event to the World Intellectual Property Organization committee on development.
Goodlatte Patent Troll Bill Being Marked Up; Patent Lawyers Say Let AIA Work 20/11/2013 by Liza Porteus Viana, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment NEW YORK – Anyone who depends on – and cares about – the American patent system needs to make some noise to their representatives in Congress and protest a potentially “awful” piece of legislation that has wide support, a popular US patent judge said this week.
FSFE On Rockstar vs. Google: “Software Patents As A License For Privateering” 07/11/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) today issued a warning about the rise of Rockstar, a consortium of large companies such as Microsoft, Apple and Sony, formed to assert former Nortel patents. The consortium recently sued Google and other companies for infringement of several of those patents.
US Chamber Event To Rally Support For Trade Deals, Patent Litigation Bill 07/11/2013 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A US Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) event tomorrow will include efforts to bring industry forces closer together to get congressional support for the nearly completed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and for proposed legislation on patent litigation.
Industry Groups Urge Congress To Boost Arsenal Against Patent Trolls 02/11/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A growing list of US industries has sent a letter to the leaders of the US House of Representatives and Senate judiciary committees urging them to combat patent assertion entities (PAEs), also known as patent trolls.