In This Issue:

- The America Invents Act

- NPR's This American Life Takes on the Patent System

- Hey! You Stole the Invention I paid You to Invent!

Excerpt from The America Invents Act

Congress recently passed and on September 16, 2011, President Obama signed the America Invents Act. It is the most comprehensive reform of the U.S. patent system since 1952.

The Act is lengthy -- running over 140 pages (well, that used to be lengthy) -- and complicated. Some of its provisions are immediately effective, but others are not effective until one year after enactment, and still others, six months after that. Some of its provisions will not be fully understood until years from now, after the courts have had a chance to interpret them.

Unlike other legislation coming out of Congress, this bill enjoyed strong bipartisan support, starting its journey under a Republican president and being signed into law by a Democratic president. Both parties believe the patent system can be improved to encourage innovation and economic growth. Likewise, both parties are hopeful the Act will eventually remove some of the burrs from the US patent system.