Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
Inventor Rights Act This bill establishes additional protections for a patent owned by the inventor of the patented invention or an entity controlled by that inventor. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shall not reexamine or review an inventor-owned patent after issuance without the owner's consent. For venue purposes, a lawsuit involving an inventor-owned patent may be brought in the judicial district where (1) the inventor conducted research or development on the patented invention; or (2) a party has a regular and established facility engaged in research, development, or manufacturing related to the patented invention. Currently, a patent lawsuit generally must be filed where the defendant has a regular and established place of business. The bill also makes it easier for the owner of an inventor-owned patent to secure an injunction after a court finds patent infringement, by establishing a presumption that (1) further infringement would cause irreparable injury, and (2) remedies available at law are inadequate to compensate for that injury. Currently, the patent owner must establish these factors to get an injunction. If a court finds that an inventor-owned patent has been infringed, the patent owner may elect to recover the infringer's profits stemming from the infringement, whereas, currently, a patent owner is generally entitled to compensation for the injury caused by the infringement. If the infringement was willful, the court may award triple damages. If the patent owner elects to recover damages under this bill, the owner shall receive attorney's fees that exceed 10% of the damages award.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Commerce
Administrative remediesCivil actions and liabilityDepartment of CommerceIntellectual propertyJudicial procedure and administrationJurisdiction and venueLegal fees and court costsResearch and development
Inventor Rights Act
USA116th CongressHR-5478| House
| Updated: 1/28/2020
Inventor Rights Act This bill establishes additional protections for a patent owned by the inventor of the patented invention or an entity controlled by that inventor. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shall not reexamine or review an inventor-owned patent after issuance without the owner's consent. For venue purposes, a lawsuit involving an inventor-owned patent may be brought in the judicial district where (1) the inventor conducted research or development on the patented invention; or (2) a party has a regular and established facility engaged in research, development, or manufacturing related to the patented invention. Currently, a patent lawsuit generally must be filed where the defendant has a regular and established place of business. The bill also makes it easier for the owner of an inventor-owned patent to secure an injunction after a court finds patent infringement, by establishing a presumption that (1) further infringement would cause irreparable injury, and (2) remedies available at law are inadequate to compensate for that injury. Currently, the patent owner must establish these factors to get an injunction. If a court finds that an inventor-owned patent has been infringed, the patent owner may elect to recover the infringer's profits stemming from the infringement, whereas, currently, a patent owner is generally entitled to compensation for the injury caused by the infringement. If the infringement was willful, the court may award triple damages. If the patent owner elects to recover damages under this bill, the owner shall receive attorney's fees that exceed 10% of the damages award.
Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee
Commerce
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
Administrative remediesCivil actions and liabilityDepartment of CommerceIntellectual propertyJudicial procedure and administrationJurisdiction and venueLegal fees and court costsResearch and development