Groups Praise Bipartisan Push Toward Patent Reform

Public interest groups said they're pleased with the bipartisan support for patent reform legislation moving in House and Senate committees. During a panel Wednesday held by Public Knowledge, representatives from groups pushing for increased consumer protection from patent litigation said the support for litigation protection is across the board. There "couldn't be more support for this," said Chris Armstrong, Small Business Majority director-partnership and government affairs. Armstrong also said research by the group that represents small-business owners showed most individuals polled support increased restrictions on so-called patent trolls and on patent litigation. Charles Duan, Public Knowledge Patent Reform Project director, said patent litigation and patent demand letters have had a significant impact on the small-business sector, especially in the area of investor confidence. Duan referred to research that he said showed 75 percent of venture capital firms would be less inclined to invest in a business that has been sent a patent demand letter or threatened by a patent assertion entity (PAE). Duan also said consumers of certain products, particularly from the tech and communications sector, also are being affected by patents trolls and PAEs. As the Senate Protecting American Talent and Entrepreneurship Act (S-1137) and the House Innovation Act (HR-9) -- both targeted primarily at reducing lawsuits and threats issued by PAEs and increasing consumer security -- work their way through their respective chambers, Duan, Armstrong and others said open dialogue with those affected by the patent suits and advocacy should continue to help members of Congress find the best ways to resolve many of the issues allegedly caused by increased patent litigation.