Patents set on fire at USPTO protest
Patent papers were set on fire at a protest against the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) on Friday, August 11.
US Inventor, an organisation dedicated to improving the patent system and the co-ordinators of the protest, had failed to obtain a permit from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) but went ahead anyway.
Last week, WIPR reported that US Inventor had applied for a permit to conduct a protest, but the permit was rejected.
The protest had been organised to coincide with the USPTO’s Invention-Con 2017 event, scheduled for August 11 and 12.
On Thursday, August 10, the organisation sent a letter to Frederick Steckler, chief administrative officer of the USPTO, appealing against the decision to reject the permit.
The reasons for the protest included “many inventors” being denied patents and others being caught in “never-ending multi-million dollar legal battles against giant corporate infringers”.
In its appeal letter, US Inventor claimed: “Based on the information currently available, it appears the USPTO is denying a use permit application based on the perceived content and viewpoints of US Inventor’s proposed activities.”
According to US Inventor, this approach is not permissible under the First Amendment.
As part of the protest, members of the organisation set their patents on fire because they “have been rendered worthless”, according to a tweet by US Inventor.
Joseph Matal, interim director of the USPTO, showed up at the protest, according to another tweet from the group.
Paul Morinville, founder of US Inventor, said: “The PTAB, a rogue administrative tribunal, is neutering or invalidating over 92% of challenged patents.”
He added that it takes millions of dollars to fight at the PTAB, so “very few inventors and start-ups can protect their patent rights”.
Morinville concluded that the board is a “disaster and must be eliminated”.
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