Tri-Cities Tech Business Update
The "First-Inventor-to-File" Patent System
Under the provisions of the America Invests Act (AIA), signed into law in September 2011, the longstanding first-to-invent patent system will be replaced with what is often called a "first-inventor-to-file" system for patent applications, effective March 16, 2013 or later. In the meantime, the specifics of first-inventor-to-file and its potential impact will receive a range of media coverage. Brookings Institution provides six ways for entrepreneurs to not only survive but to thrive as they navigate through this transition in the patent system. One of the tips is to consider the use of provisional applications, which can be a cost-effective way of obtaining priority date without incurring the full expenses of a non-provisional application (however, they too involve their own obligations and risks). Read more...
