Tech companies rally to alter patent reforms

Dozens of tech companies, many of them from the Bay Area, have joined forces in an effort to head off patent legislation that they fear would slow down the patent process and lead to abuses by infringers.

In a letter delivered to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today, the companies are protesting a proposal for post-grant review, which would allow third parties and appellants to get a re-examination of a patent ruling by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Big companies like Microsoft have pushed for the change because they said it would prevent costly patent litigation and help weed out questionable patents.

by Ryan Kim

Full Story: http://blog.seattlepi.com/techchron/archives/179192.asp