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Companies Asked to Donate Unused Patents

Posted by Hemos on from the bring-out-yer-dead dept.

Radon360 writes "There are countless patents that are promising but sitting idle, stowed in the corporate file room. In fact, about 90 percent to 95 percent of all patents are idle. Countless patents sit unused when companies decide not to develop them into products. Now, not-for-profit groups and state governments are asking companies to donate dormant patents so they can be passed to local entrepreneurs who try to build businesses out of them. "

3 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. What about just releasing them? by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Why not have some sort of mechanism for releasing unused patents completely into the public domain after they idle for a certain amount of years? Wouldn't some sort of "use it or lose it" clause be in the best interests of everyone who isn't a lazy patent-trolling bastard?

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    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  2. Most of these are defensive patents... by stankulp · · Score: 0, Redundant

    ...intended to circumvent patent trolls.

    What's the point of getting a patent to keep people from being able to extort you, then give the patent away?

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    We must be alert to the danger that public policy could become captive to a scientific-technological elite. - Eisenhower
  3. Legislation! by Nicopa · · Score: 0, Redundant

    The law mus state that, after a patent has been granted, the patent holder has 3 years to use it. If it doesn't, the patent becomes void.