Patent Reform: Who's on First?

by Declan McCullagh ZDNet News, 13 Sep 2005 The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awards patents to the person who invents a concept first, and it has long been a unique feature of the U.S. patent system. This year, however, Congress is about to consider a controversial proposal from Rep. Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican, that would grant a patent to the first person to submit the paperwork -- a standard that's common outside the United States. Read more