Patently Obvious

The new patent law awards patents to the first person to submit an application, adopting the first-to-file over the first-to-invent system. The objective is to reduce lawsuits and streamline the patent process, thereby fostering innovation that will stimulate the economy and create new jobs as well as keep the U.S. competitive globally. Under the new law, the first to file provisions will be granted the rights over subsequent filers regardless of who invented it first. The changes will reduce lawsuits, and third parties also get an opportunity to participate in the examination process.