First to file, any comments

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

From: ack () skylee com (Arthur C. Kyle)

I'm posting this for a friend who has no net access, so please direct  
inquiries to the address below. All disclaimers apply.


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Please help preserve the rights of the individual inventor, universities,  
and the small business firm!

The US Patent Office, since its inception in 1790, has always used the  
First to Invent rule to grant patents. However, there is now an attempt by  
the US Congress to change this to the First to File rule in order to  
follow the European system.

We feel that this will grossly and unfairly penalize individual inventors,  
universities, and small research firms, traditionally the backbone of US  
entrepreneurship and creativity, and will benefit only multinational  
corporations with much more funding, legal assistance, and international  
reach. The First to File rule negates the fundamental Constitutional  
concept that reserves to inventors the exclusive right to their  
inventions. It is this concept that has been the foundation of US patent  
protection, but not for long if Congress has its way.

We would like your help in defeating the change to First to File. Please  
send us your letters of support for First to Invent to the address below,  
and write to your congressional representatives expressing your opposition  
to First to File.

First to Invent has been endorsed by the Association of University  
Technology Managers.

Please write to:

Small Entity Patent Owners Association
295 Stevenson Drive
Pleasant Hill, CA  94523