Hacker News Reader

Are you saying that companies can't bought other companies and take ownership of their patents?

Oh well, I guess that's the loophole in my proposal.

But at least, a patent troll would have to buy an entire corporation rather than just its patent portfolio. Kodak, again: if let us say Toshiba wants Kodak's imaging patents, they'd have to buy Kodak in its entirety. At least this would raise the bar to acquiring patents.

I actually sort of like your proposal. Don't individuals have to file for patents and then employees buy it off them for like $1? If this is true, existing patents would fall into this loophole, but new patents could never end up in corporate hands since you can't buy a person.

Another issue I see is that patent trolls could just represent patent owners in litigation and charge high legal fees (or sign a contract that they receive all revenue for the patent).

No, if an employee produces something patent-worthy as part of employment, when they file the employee is listed as the inventor, but the employer is the assignee, so they own it from its inception. There's no "buy for $1" transfer.

So now, whenever they have something patent-worthy, the company first sets up a new company, then file for the patent for that new tiny company.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com