Economics of Science and Technology
Jeffrey Parker, Reed College
Fall 2012
Essay Assignment #2: Due by noon, Friday, November 9
A little over one year ago, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) was signed into law. The purpose of this law was to improve the functioning of the U.S. patent system; it is just now beginning to take full effect. The literature that we have read over the last two weeks was written prior to the passage of the AIA, so the purpose of this essay is to bring you up to date on this new development.
Your 3-5 page essay should do the following:
- Using (and citing) reliable sources, briefly describe the major changes that the AIA makes to the patent system.
- Which of the important (in your judgment) criticisms leveled at the pre-AIA system does the AIA attempt to fix? How effective are these fixes likely to be?
- Which of the important (again, in your judgment) criticisms are not likely to be improved by the AIA? What additional changes would you recommend?