Peer Reviewed Patents

A new process has been developed to review software patent applications.  The process uses the web to provide a forum for anyone to provide review feedback on patent applications.  The system should provide much better review and prevent frivolous patents from being issued, and also speed up the review process.  The system has been started by Professor Beth Simone Noveck, and was written about in a recent article on IEEE Spectrum Online.  The pilot project will apply to just software patents for now and participation is voluntary by applicants.  However applicants who use this process can move to the front of the queue for getting their patents reviewed.  The basic process is that patent applications will be subjected to peer review over a period of time.  During that time, reviewers can submit prior art that supports or contradicts the validity of the patent.  The community will also vote on all the submitted prior art to determine the 10 best pieces, which will then be submitted along with the patent application to the patent office for the patent office official to use in making a decision.  The peer review patent process can be found at http://www.peertopatent.org.