If you’ve been following the news lately you’ll have developed a greater insight into how patents and who owns them affects the information world – from mobile devices, software, tablets and more, every aspect seems to affect something of interest to libraries.
Anyway, check out this Thomson Reuters graphic that shows how interconnected things really are:
The ability to get a patent for business processes (and living things like DNA and Harvard Mice) is fairly recent. I think it was opened up by the USPTO in the Reagan era. Now there is much debate as to whether this kind of patent is now stifling innovation and competition. It is certainly a major factor in recent acquisitions like NorTel and Motorola. Would this money be better spent b leading companies making new inventions than building a protective patent armour?
Stephen
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