Posts Tagged: "Valve Corp. v. Electronic Scripting Products"

Tillis/Coons Letter Underscores That More Can Be Done to Save the U.S. Patent System

Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE) have written U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Andrei Iancu raising a concern about what can really only fairly be characterized as the weaponization of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Although the USPTO has vehemently disagreed that there is a problem over the years, everyone in the industry familiar with post grant challenges knows there is a very serious problem with serial challenges. Indeed, there appears to be a concerted effort—perhaps even collusion—to challenge the patents of certain patent owners over, and over, and over, and over again.

Tillis, Coons Ask Iancu to Take Action on Serial IPR Challenges

In their latest letter weighing in on intellectual property issues, Senators Thom Tillis and Chris Coons have expressed their concerns about the effects of “serial” inter partes review (IPR) petitions on the U.S. patent system.In March, the senators sent a letter to Karyn Temple, Register of Copyrights, to ask a series of questions about the Copyright Office’s ability to handle the likely impact of Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.com, LLC. Today’s letter was addressed to USPTO Director Andrei Iancu and similarly asked Iancu to respond to a list of five pointed questions about the Office’s willingness to take action on serial IP challenges.