Please fix the patent system. Eliminate trivial patents.
Please fix the patent system. Eliminate trivial patents. I am a Co-Founder of a tiny (3 people) startup company creating Android apps. We recently got a patent infringement notice from Lodsys for the following features in our Android app: * A link from our free "Lite" version to our paid "Full" version * The use of "seconds" as a unit of time Clearly such a patent is an obstacle to innovation in the US. It ...more »
Please fix the patent system. Eliminate trivial patents.
I am a Co-Founder of a tiny (3 people) startup company creating Android apps. We recently got a patent infringement notice from Lodsys for the following features in our Android app:
* A link from our free "Lite" version to our paid "Full" version
* The use of "seconds" as a unit of time
Clearly such a patent is an obstacle to innovation in the US. It also does not protect any significant ideas since it is so generic and trivial. Worst of all is that the judicial system allows for patent trolls, who do not develop competing products, to purchase and enforce any patents they have access to.
My co-founders and I dream of successfully growing our company and being able to do what we love for a living. As a startup we are quite vulnerable to any obstacles that may get in our way. If the US government doesn't step in and reverse many of these trivial patents we, and many others, will be put out of business.
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