Copy Protection - Part 2

Patent It

In the second part of this series about protecting intellectual property in the digital age, reporter Dana Greenspon looks at what it takes to get a patent and why patent reform is currently on the Congressional agenda.



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External Links/Articles*

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  The FTC is charged with maintaining a competitive marketplace for both consumers and businesses in the U.S. This links to a February 15, 2007 press release issued by the agency titled, "FTC Testifies on Patent Reform Recommendations."
• Hewlett-Packard (HP)
  HP is a technology firm headquarted in Palo Alto, California. The company's executive vice president and general counsel, Michael Holston, is interviewed in Dana Greenspon's report. This links to an April 18, 2007 press release issued by the company titled, "HP Welcomes Bipartisan Patent Reform Bill."
• Innovation Alliance (PDF Document)
  The innovation Alliance is an organization that "innovators, patent owners and stakeholders from a diverse range of industries that believe in the critical importance of maintaining a strong patent system." This links to a paper hosted by the Innovation Alliance titled, "The Patent Reform Act of 2007: Responding to Legitimate Needs or Special Interests? The paper was authored by Pat Choate and was originally published by the U.S. Business and Industry Council Educational Foundation.
• Panacos
  Panacos is a pharmaceutical firm headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts. As Dana Greenspon explains in her report, Panacos developed the HIV drug bevirimat.
• Patent Reform Act of 2007 (PDF Document)
  This is the text of a patent law reform bill currently being considered by Congress. The document is hosted by the U.S. Government Printing Office.
• University of California at Berkeley (PDF Document)
  This links to a paper authored by Pamela Samuelson, chancellor's professor of information management and law at Berkeley. The paper is titled, "Legally Speaking: Why Reform the U.S. Patent System?"
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Registration Required)
  On October 3, 2007 the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted a panel discussion titled, "Working Together in the Fight to Protect Intellectual Property." This links to a webcast of remarks Jon Dudas, director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, made at that event. Dudas is interviewed in Dana Greenspon's report. You must register to view the webcast.
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  The Patent and Trademark Office is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The agency's mission is "to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to investors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries."

*Clicking these external links will take you off the NBR web site on PBS.org. NBR has no affiliation with these sites.