Bill > HR1249

This bill, known as the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, enacts significant reforms to the United States patent system, most notably transitioning from a "first-to-invent" system to a "first inventor to file" system, meaning the first person to file a patent application for an invention will generally be granted the patent, rather than the first person to invent it. It also establishes new post-grant review proceedings, called Inter Partes Review and Post-Grant Review, allowing third parties to challenge the validity of issued patents more efficiently. The bill introduces "derivation proceedings" to address situations where an inventor's work is stolen and filed by another, and it clarifies the "best mode" requirement for patent applications, stating that failure to disclose the best mode will no longer be a basis for invalidating a patent. Additionally, it allows for "virtual marking" where patent numbers can be displayed online instead of physically on products, and it creates a transitional program for reviewing "covered business method patents," which are patents related to financial services. The Act also includes provisions for fee adjustments, the establishment of satellite offices for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and studies on various aspects of patent law and its impact.