Software patents are a tricky business and they have instigated more than a few patent battles in recent days. Amid the ongoing criticism about the flaws of the current patent system, the US Patent and Trademark Office has decided to host two roundtable events where the developers are being invited to discuss software patents and put forth their suggestions.
USPTO has long been criticized for its incompetence in awarding software patents in the right manner. Those who criticize the procedure of awarding software patents contend that the agency isn’t even equipped or skilled enough to judge whether or not a filed patent should be awarded.
That is true in some cases and has even resulted in the patenting of such fundamental software features that threaten to jeopardize the industry at large. Thankfully, the government agency has finally realized that it needs to bring more stakeholders on board to resolve the issue.
Hence, USPTO has announced that it will be hosting two roundtable events in February this year. One event will be held at New York whereas the other will be at Silicon Valley. The developer community has been invited to sign up for the event and share their concerns as well as suggestions by being present at the occasions.
If you are a developer and can cite a list of different credentials to support your claim, you may send to SoftwareRoundtable2013@uspto.gov to register in time. Seats for both events are limited and those who are signing up will be awarded on first-come, first-serve basis.
We do hope that the two events would restore some form of sanity in the process of awarding software patents and would get to see fewer patent litigations in the future.
Source: USPTO
Courtesy: Engadget
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