We know that patents protect our inventions from others copying, selling, or using them without our permission. Generally, a patent is valid for 20 years except for design patents, which are valid only for 14 to 15 years. In recent years when technology has been rapidly developed, patent laws have also faced some changes. Also, the processes associated with patent registration, such as patent search and patent filing, have been changed effectively because of technology. Let us briefly learn about the evolution of patent law in this digital age in this article.
Major changes faced by the Patents
Technology has changed almost every field in this world. Likewise, patent filing systems have also been changed over the years. Nowadays, patent owners don’t need to visit the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) directly to file a patent. We can file a patent using the EFS (Electronic Filing System) digitally with all the required documents. We can also track our patent status through the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. This system lets you view and download your patent application status and information. You must register and have a USPTO account to check your application status.
Nowadays, large tech firms like IBM are registering patents on a large scale. Since technical innovations are rising rapidly, tech companies focus on obtaining patents for an enormous amount. Apart from that, patent searches will also be performed using AI systems to improve the speed and accuracy of searching the prior art.
America Invents Act (AIA)
One of the major changes the Patent Law faces is the America Invents Act, which has been effected since March 16, 2013. This act aims to improve the speed and quality of patent registration and reduce patent litigation costs. Since small business owners struggle with patent litigation because of the litigation expenses, AIA reduced it by adopting a strategy. In case of multiple infringements, they can be grouped and filed into a single suit of infringement to reduce the overall litigation cost. With AIA, anyone can protect their inventions and sue anyone who tries to infringe on their property.
Challenges faced by patents over the years
We know that the number of patent filings has tremendously increased. At the same time, the number of patents becoming ineligible has also increased. There are lots of patents that resemble the already existing ones resulting in patent rejections. So obtaining a patent becomes difficult and requires more effort to distinguish patents from others. Patents distinct from others and adding more significance to our lives will be valued and provided preference.
To Sum Up
Amidst all the challenges, the patent system has been improved over the years, and now the patent filing processes become more effective than in the past. If you want guidance for the patent registration process, contact Brealant today! We help you with all the IP registration and guide you in all the registration steps.