In a complex matter, the US Supreme Court has set a precedent that terminates decades old patents involving software methods. Suddenly the technologies developed by Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, and thousands of other US companies can be free reign for any domestic or foreign company to use without proper compensation to the developer based on a Supreme court Ruling called ‘Alice’. Patents currently monetized and currently being invested in by investors of all wealth are being terminated by the USPTO because of the ‘Alice Ruling’.
What is the future of the American Inventor? What is the future of investment in the research and development of business enterprise solutions if that investment can not be capitalized on but instead handed over for free to your competition? It has already started as small business start ups, seeking venture capital investments in their futures, have lost their investment revenue stream as quickly as they lose their patent rights under this ruling. Small business growth is dead if small business can raise the capital to bring their ideas to life; and no investor will invest in technology you can’t secure as yours.
We need people willing to reach out to Congress and all in Washington to make the American Inventor Act secure. We need to shut down the termination of patents once approved and to secure the rights and the investments of those who made their choices based on the prior seal of approval from the USPTO.
For me, I lost more than $200,000 investing in a company (PAID Inc.) with teh first of 6 patent that was approved in 2008. The PTAB just ruled in September 2015 that the patents are terminated wiping out my investment and all other investors in this patent overnight.
