Hi Tech Companies Win House Patent Battle

In a big win for high technology companies, the House passed a bill that would limit patent litigation.

Here's an excerpt from "House Passes Bill to Curb Suits by Patent Owners":

The measure passed by the House would change the rules at the Patent and Trademark Office so patents would go to the first person to file an application, not necessarily the first inventor. . . . It would also allow third parties to introduce evidence against applications and would create a system, called post-grant opposition, to challenge new patents.

Source: Bloomberg News. "House Passes Bill to Curb Suits by Patent Owners." The New York Times, 8 September 2007, B4.