September 13, 2011

Posted by Ann McCulloch

Motor vehicle parts manufacturers play a critical role in developing new technologies that make cars and trucks safer, more fuel efficient, and smarter.  As such, suppliers are leaders in innovation within the transportation sector and rely on a healthy and vibrant patent system in order to continue this innovation. 

Last week, the Senate took steps to encourage innovation across all sectors by passing the America Invents Act and sending this important piece of legislation to the President for signature.  This legislation, which makes the most sweeping changes to our nation’s patent system in decades, will modernize and update the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).  The revisions in this bill will streamline the existing system, making it easier to get patented goods to the marketplace.”

While the bill is not perfect and does not give the PTO complete control over the fees they collect from patent applicants, it does make important changes to the current system including changing to the false markings law to allowing only the federal government or a party that has suffered a competitive injury to bring a false marking claim against a patent holder and creating new post grant review procedures and new reexamination procedures.

Implementing this legislation will improve the quality of patents that are granted and will also improve and speed up the examination of patent applications, addressing the backlog of 700,000 patent applications.  This will ultimately allow advances in technology to be brought to market more quickly, improving the quality of future cars and trucks.