U.S. launches open-software patent program

The federal government is forging closer ties with open-source software architects in order to make the patent process less vulnerable to lawsuits.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said Tuesday it had created a partnership with the open-source community that will make sure patent examiners have access to a complete list of previous innovations, which are referred to as "art" in the patent business.

The program's goal is to reduce confusion among software developers and patent officials and head off costly and time-consuming litigation over patents.

Some analysts questioned the effectiveness of the plan. One expert told The New York Times that the Patent Office has already been somewhat overwhelmed by new technical information.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

Citation: U.S. launches open-software patent program (2006, January 10) retrieved 19 September 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2006-01-open-software-patent.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

New drone imagery reveals 97% of coral dead at a Lizard Island reef after last summer's mass bleaching

0 shares

Feedback to editors