How to Fix the Patent System?

Are patents important to you and your company? If they are, you may well be frustrated by the patent system. A Businessweek article notes that some 700,000 applications are in the patent office, with waits of three or more years for rulings. The Patent and Trademark Office is proposing to Congress that a fast-track system be put in place that would give applicants a ruling in a year or so — at a substantial fee. Small businesses and individuals would get a discount. What changes do you believe are essential for a smoother-functioning system?

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