Larry Downes: “The U.S. Supreme Court Is Reining in Patent Trolls, Which Is a Win for Innovation” (HBR)

Harvard Business Review

In the last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two important rulings limiting patent rights. The decisions, which were both unanimous, significantly scaled back the ability of patent holders to slow innovation by competitors, tipping scales that many legal scholars believe have become badly imbalanced. Taken together, the two cases will improve the innovation environment for companies in fast-changing industries. Consumers will get easier access to new products and fewer limits on those they already own.