The patent system: Current and future policy challenges - A view from the United States patent and trademark office

This paper provides information on current and future challenges to the patent system from the perspective of USPTO, which is based on the view that strong patents benefit both developed and developing countries insofar as they facilitate technology transfer and foreign direct investment and encourage research and development. A number of recent changes have increased the workload at patent offices, calling for more uniform patent laws and for diminishing the duplication of efforts among patent offices, however, before those objectives are achieved, a number of challenges have to be addressed at multilateral and bilateral negotiations.