Test for "Obvious" Patents Questioned
bulled writes "News.com is running a story about a case coming before the US Supreme Court on testing new patents for 'obviousness'. The decision has potential to significantly impact the High Tech industry." From the article: "Several Silicon Valley heavyweights, including Intel and Cisco Systems, have submitted supporting briefs that urge the Supreme Court to revise an earlier ruling. That ruling, they claim, has helped make it easier to obtain patents on seemingly 'obvious' combinations of pre-existing inventions."
"You have some people in industry who say, 'Oh, come on--you've got to be kidding me," said Timothy Teter, a partner in the intellectual property practice at the firm Cooley Godward Kronish in Palo Alto, Calif. "This is something we wouldn't ever bother to write down because it's obvious, and we're in a fast-moving field."
Obvious is something for the court to decide, but fast-moving field? So fast someone can't be contracted to document what you are doing at 70-80 words per minute. Or better yet voice recgonition.
Can you imagine a wolrd without lawyers?
I want to be retired when I grow up.