C4IP is honoring Lonnie Johnson (born 1949), a prolific inventor whose work spans energy systems, aerospace engineering, and one of the most successful toys of all time. A nuclear engineer and former member of the Air Force, Johnson has conducted research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Strong, consistent IP protections throughout U.S. history enabled the creation of innovative and useful technologies that we use regularly today. From cuisine to chores, every aspect of our lives has benefited greatly from IP, as shown by these historical examples from the month of June: 1953: On June 9, John H. Kraft received a patent
June Highlights: Members of Congress Respond to C4IP’s Innovation Scorecard C4IP recently released its 2025 Congressional Innovation Scorecard, an annual report grading members of Congress’s performance on innovation and intellectual property issues. The Scorecard found that overall, Congress’s attentiveness to IP has increased, with a notable uptick in IP-related bills and resolutions being introduced in
Activist groups routinely accuse companies of using various tactics to “abuse” the patent system to stifle competition. By debunking these myths, the Council for Innovation Promotion hopes to foster a more honest public policy debate. For an overview of the information below, check out our patent myth video series, which provides brief and accessible explanations
A bipartisan group of legislators led by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE) recently reintroduced two critical bills to Congress: the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA) and the PREVAIL Act. Both bills would shore up the legal foundation for American innovation — PERA by restoring clarity around what types of inventions are eligible
This month, C4IP is honoring Percy L. Spencer (1894-1970), whose invention of the microwave oven revolutionized how people cook and eat around the world. Despite never completing elementary school, Spencer taught himself radio engineering while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War I, and subsequently became a successful engineer at Raytheon Corporation. While working
Strong, consistent IP protections throughout U.S. history enabled the creation of innovative and useful technologies that we use regularly today. From electricity to health care, every aspect of our lives has benefited greatly from IP, as shown by these historical examples from the month of May: 1888: On May 1, Nikola Tesla received a patent
May Highlights: PERA and PREVAIL Return to the Congressional Docket The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA) and the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership (PREVAIL) Act remain two of the most vital patent policy reforms under consideration today. Both bills would make it easier for inventors to obtain and defend patent rights on
Dear Big Tech Lobbyists, Your letter to President Trump was full of factual errors and misleading claims. Please see my comments below and redo the assignment to instead explain why standard essential patents are so important to America’s economic competitiveness. Sincerely, Professor SEPs
In a new piece for U.S. News & World Report, former Chair of the Democratic National Committee and Governor of Vermont Howard Dean argues that strong IP protections are essential for safeguarding the innovation necessary to combat future pandemics. He points to the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines as a case study: decades of patent-protected
Congress is considering several ill-conceived bills that purport to address abuses in the patent system, but would in reality weaken core intellectual property protections, undermine U.S. innovation leadership, and benefit foreign competitors at America’s expense. Last month, we examined the flaws behind two of them: the Drug Competition Enhancement Act and the Affordable Prescriptions for
Former USPTO Director and C4IP Co-Chair David Kappos is sounding the alarm on an emerging international threat to American innovation: the growing push to strip US companies of their intellectual property rights. In a new IAM op-ed, Kappos highlights efforts by global institutions like the WTO and WHO to weaken IP protections — first by waiving patents for COVID-19 vaccines…
