Posts Tagged: "lobbying"

PTO Director Needed – Swamp Resistance Desirable

If someone were there to speak for America that person would recognize the obvious. There is no historical evidence of any economy having a thriving innovation ecosystem without a solid, strong patent system. Similarly, one of the greatest threats faced by any business, particularly a start-up or small business, is the threat of frivolous litigation. But where is the honest broker to acknowledge truth? If there is one I don’t see it, and as one who has spent a career helping innovators of all stripes I find that rather odious. Someone, somewhere (and not, please oh please, not an academic) needs to come forward and speak to what the system needs to accomplish for the benefit of the population beyond those in the swamp.

As Airbnb disrupts the hotel industry it increases D.C. lobbying

This increased political exposure across the nation is likely a big reason why Airbnb is increasing its DC lobbying arsenal by hiring former Congressman Vin Weber and the public affairs firm Mercury… Airbnb hosts are given a large say in who gets to stay in their rental accommodations, as is evidenced by the filing of U.S. Patent Application No. 20160098649, entitled Determining Host Preferences for Accommodation Listings. This would protect a computer implemented method of identifying listings sharing a common attribute, determining patterns in host acceptance or rejection of reservation requests and then creating a cluster pattern value which determines whether a new reservation request is likely to be accepted or rejected by the host. Interestingly, this invention is designed to incorporate a host’s “implicit” preferences which “are not easily quantifiable.”

Google acquires Softcard, setting up mobile payment showdown with Apple

Softcard’s patents and their ability to protect Google Wallet against any potential legal challenges from Apple may be a much more important aspect of the acquisition than Softcard itself, which had struggled financially and laid off workers in the weeks leading up to Google’s purchase. There are many reasons for Softcard’s woes, including a need to rebrand the company after its original name, Isis, was co-opted by the Middle Eastern terrorist organization.

Marla Grossman Exclusive, Part 2

GROSSMAN: “A report released by the Global Intellectual Property Center found that IP-intensive industries employ 55.7 million Americans across dozens of sectors of the economy. In every state of this nation, millions of jobs hinge on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights and supply wages 30% higher than non IP jobs. I think that increasingly reports such as these, will demonstrate, with hard facts and figures, to public policymakers the importance of intellectual property rights in promoting creativity and innovation in the U.S. economy, and thereby counter the popular and trendy notion that consumers should get everything they want instantaneously and for free.”

A Conversation with Marla Grossman – IP and Lobbying

GROSSMAN: “I think that we will see some form of patent litigation reform passed by the Senate and then ultimately by Congress. Currently, there are very few things on which the Republicans and the Democrats can come together. However, patents and other types of intellectual property seem to be one area in which joint action is possible. I think that ultimately both parties are going to want to do something that shows that they can work together and get something important accomplished. Enacting the appropriate type of patent litigation reform would foster innovation and create jobs and thereby demonstrate to the American people that they still have a functioning Congress. The House has already passed a bill, and the President urged Congress to pass a bill in his State of the Union address. I think the momentum is there.”