Since being unanimously confirmed by the Senate as the most recent director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Andrei Iancu has called for increased reliability and predictability in the patent system. Notably, Director Iancu has spoken often since taking office about changing the conversation about patents.
Speaking before the American Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Conference in Arlington, Virginia on April 20, Director Iancu stated “[w]e must create a new narrative that defines our patent system by the excitement of invention, the brilliance of our inventors: men and women from a broad spectrum of our innovation ecosystem, and the incredible benefits they bring to society.”
In contrast to prevailing commentary that focuses on abuses and faults of the patent system, Director Iancu highlighted far-reaching advancements in technology and society attributable to female inventors including Hedy Lamarr (frequency hopping technology), Margaret Knight (machinery to manufacture flat-bottom paper shopping bags), and Katharine Blodgett (non-reflective glass). As Director Iancu stated, “patents incentivize and protect…remarkable advances in the human condition. And our patents are an indelible record of these human achievements, forever new, forever urging us ahead.”
In a patent landscape roiled by dramatic recent changes including the Alice decision and its progeny, the Inter-Partes Review process, and the Post-Grant Review process, increased reliability and predictability would be most welcome.