Patent reform bill gasping for air

The patent reform bill, supported by much of the high technology industry, has stalled in Congress, and the prospects for any legislative action in 2008 look dim. The legislation has passed the House of Representatives in a version preferred by a group of more than 150 high-tech and financial-services companies, but it appears to have hit serious roadblocks in the Senate.

Computer software and hardware makers that support the House bill, including Microsoft and Dell, have been pressing Congress to make it easier to challenge patents and to limit the damage awards for infringement. But they have faced stiff opposition from the nation's major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as manufacturing associations that fear the legislation will undermine crucial patent protections.

The broader debate has been driven by a rising concern that innovation has been stifled and productivity harmed by increased patent litigation, an overburdened U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and an outdated patent system.

For more on the patent debate:
- see this cnet.com article