You must be registered to access the full content of this site. To register, click here.
Part Search
Lobbying Against Patent Bill Underway
Written by Administrator
Friday, 21 September 2007
WASHINGTON – A lobbying effort began Thursday to curb or halt patent legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representative two weeks ago.
Opponents, namely biotech and pharmaceutical firms, claim the bill would undermine current patent protections and deter investors from taking chances with innovative ideas.
The pending legislation has had support from Microsoft, Cisco, Intel and other big tech firms. It is designed to control excessive litigation; however, detractors claim it would benefit large corporations at the expense of startups.
Inventors and CEOs from more than a dozen companies said they object to the provision that would permit companies to challenge patents after awarded in a subsequent review process.
At a briefing Thursday, several executives said they were concerned that because the esoteric, technical details of patent law are difficult to understand, a bad bill might get through Congress.
Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), a chief sponsor of the House bill, said he would continue to "tweak" provisions when Congress negotiates the details of a final bill.
First, the Senate would have to pass its own bill, which Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), said could happen in the next few weeks.
Need PCB prototypes fast?
Sunstone Circuits takes the pain out of prototyping! We are dedicated to making the online ordering of PCB prototypes simple, fast, and easy from quote to delivery. Quick access to our 24/7/365 customer service team and easy online order tracking takes the pain out of sourcing prototypes online.
Put us to the test - order Sunstone Circuits today!
PCB systems design teams face challenges with IP management and collaboration across multiple groups. This free Webinar highlights best practices that optimize these efforts across the design flow. Learn more!
Vision Engineering introduces the SX45 stereo zoom microscope. Although it is affordable, it maintains a high level of optical performance. It has a zoom ratio of 6.3:1 and a magnification of x50. A digital or USB camera can be used simultaneously, and a trinocular viewing attachment is available. Users can choose from numerous standard options, such as the bench stand, the boom mount and the articulated arm. Multimedia solutions are also available for image archiving, acquisition, processing, analysis and documentation. www.visioneng.us
News 
