As discussed in previous blog entries, "Here We Go Again: Patent Reform Act of 2011" posted February 28, 2011 and "The USPTO Announces Proposed Plans to Streamline Reexamination Proceedings" posted May 17, 2011, this blog entry will discuss the progress of the America Invents Act (S. 23 and H.R. 1249), previously known as the Patent Reform Act of 2011.
From the previous blog entries on our website, you may recall that the Senate passed its version of the Patent Reform Act of 2011 on March 8, 2011. The House of Representatives introduced its version of the bill on March 30, 2011. The House bill differed from the Senate bill on two major factors: inter partes review and prior use rights; however, a manager's amendment addressing the differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill was passed on April 14, 2011.
On June 1, 2011, the House Judiciary Committee filed its report (Rept. 112-98, Part I) on its approved version of H.R. 1249, the "America Invents Act." The report may be viewed here, on the website for the American Intellectual Property Law Association.
It is anticipated that the bill will pass the full House of Representatives as early as the middle of June, thus setting the stage for the enactment of the reform measure later this year.
Further progress on the America Invents Act will be reported in future blogs.
