Is it time to adopt a ‘petty patent’ to maintain U.S. edge in innovation?

Global IP

By Doris Estelle Long

Doris Estelle Long is the president of Doris Long Consulting, specializing in U.S. and international IPR and information security issues; a screenwriter and producer for VeraKen Productions; and a law professor emeritus at The John Marshall Law School. She has served as a consultant on IPR issues for diverse U.S. and foreign government agencies, including as attorney adviser in the Office of Legislative and International Affairs of the USPTO. She can be reached at prof.doris.long@gmail.com.

Posted October 17, 2017 1:35 PM

Over the past five years, key features of U.S. patent exceptionalism with regard to international standards have either been abandoned, eroded or are under serious attack. In the process, many contend that the ability of the United States to continue to lead the world as a bastion of innovation has been undermined.Perhaps it is time to erode U.S. patent exceptionalism even further by adding a new form of patent protection, recognized internationally, that could help maintain U.S. innovation by supporting individual …

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