The federal government announced that it is tackling the patent troll problem. Aside from legislation pending in Congress, it is considering five executive actions: tightening functional claiming; fixing transparency; empowering downstream users; expanding dedicated outreach and study; and strengthening enforcement of exclusion orders. (Electronic Frontier Foundation, June 4, 2013, by Julie Samuels)
The initiative on patent trolls may help prevent companies from abuses such as patenting ideas that are simply common sense, but those conducting the war on trolls need to make sure that it does not extend to legitimate patent holders. (The Atlantic, June 4, 2013, by Rebecca Greenfield)
As it stands today, federal judicial action on patents is dominated by lawsuits from trolls, more than half the cases up, almost 250 percent from two years ago. (National Journal, June 4, 2013, by Niraj Chokshi) -db