Now it was Inventors Digest’s turn to get into the ongoing debate in the U.S. Senate over patent reform, officially known as S. 23.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., cited a letter of support for patent reform from Louis Foreman, publisher of Inventors Digest, this week.
Here’s his letter:
February 14, 2011
The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy, Chairman
The Honorable Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Grassley:
First, please accept my congratulations on the overwhelming, bipartisan Judiciary Committee vote on compromise patent reform legislation. I strongly urge you to continue your efforts toward comprehensive reform by pushing for a vote on the Senate floor at the first available opportunity.
Your bill will make independent inventors, such as myself, more competitive in today’s global marketplace. America’s economic future rests on our ability to innovate new technologies that change the way people work, live and play. Yet, as you know, today’s patent system hinders this process, rather than cultivating entrepreneurship and the new ideas needed to create more jobs and foster economic growth.
As executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning series, “Everyday Edisons,” and publisher of Inventors Digest, a long-standing publication serving the independent-inventor community, I am continually in contact with individuals across the country dedicating their lives in search of the next big idea. Some of these efforts bear fruit, while others falter. However, what ensures the continuity of their efforts, are the legal protections afforded under U.S. patent law.
I started my first business as a sophomore in college and twenty years later, I can point to 8 successful start-ups, along with being an integral part of twenty additional ventures. As a result, I have registered ten U.S. patents and my firm has helped develop and file another 400 patents.
These experiences have shaped my views on how the current system functions at a practical level for those attempting to translate their inventions into a profitable business endeavor. Let me begin by commending the USPTO for its tireless efforts to make the current system work in an efficient manner. Unfortunately, the USPTO is hampered by a system that is in dire need of reform.
From my perspective, the Judiciary Committee-passed bill helps independent inventors across the country by strengthening the current system for entrepreneurs and small businesses by including the following:
- Lower fees for micro-entities;
- Shorter times for patent prosecution creating a more predictable system;
- First-Inventor-to-File protections to harmonize U.S. law with our competitors abroad while providing independent inventors with certainty;
- Stronger patent quality and reliability by incorporating “best practices” into patent application examination and review, making it easier for independent inventors to attract start-up capital; and
- Resources for the USPTO to reduce the current patent backlog of 700,000 patents.
Your efforts in the Committee represent a critical milestone for passage of comprehensive reform and highlight an opportunity for progress. I also hope that Committee action paves the way for vigorous bicameral discussions on enacting legislation in the near future.
We cannot afford to wait. The need for these types of common sense reforms dates back to 1966 when the President’s Commission to the Patent System issued thirty-five recommendations to improve the system. Some of these measures have been enacted over the years, but the economic challenges inherent in today’s global market necessitate a broader modernization of the patent system. The 2004 National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences report echoed this sentiment pointing to how economic and legal changes were putting new strains on the system.
America’s economic strength has always rested on our ability to innovate. While a number of positive economic indicators provide hope for the future, the environment for small businesses remains mixed. Patent modernization is a tangible way to help America’s small entrepreneurs in a fledgling economy. Not only will these reforms help create new jobs and industries, but they will help ensure our economic leadership for years to come.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance in helping expedite passage of this critical legislation.
Sincerely,
Louis J. Foreman
Chief Executive Officer
Enventys
520 Elliot Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
