Patent Reform

By Kristopher A. Nelson
in September 2007

100 words / 1 min.
Tweet Share
An update on patent reform legislation working its way through Congress right now. An interesting amendment (from the comments on Patently-O) includes the following: [The] banning of patents on “tax planning methods.” These are defined, inter alia, as any invention that is a “techniqueaEUR|that has, when implemented, the effect of reducing, minimizing, or deferring, a […]


Please note that this post is from 2007. Evaluate with care and in light of later events.

An update on patent reform legislation working its way through Congress right now. An interesting amendment (from the comments on Patently-O) includes the following:

[The] banning of patents on “tax planning methods.” These are defined, inter alia, as any invention that is a “technique…that has, when implemented, the effect of reducing, minimizing, or deferring, a taxpayer’s tax liability” with the exception of tax preparation software.

Patent reform has the potential to be a really big deal, if it goes through. For more information, see, for example, Proposals for patent reform raising fears from the Chicago Tribune.