Some franchise systems hold or are developing patents which they license for use by their franchisees. For those systems developing patents, important legislation has just passed in Congress replacing the “first-to-invent” system with a “first-inventor-to-file” system. This will conform the filing system in the United States to that used in many other countries around the world, and force inventors to decide more quickly about whether or not to file for patent protection. The legislation also has other significant modifications to the present patent laws. Please click here to learn more.
