[ExI] IP overhaul- was Direct solar electrolysis

The Avantguardian avantguardian2020 at yahoo.com
Thu Oct 16 22:19:37 UTC 2008


--- On Tue, 10/14/08, Emlyn <emlynoregan at gmail.com> wrote:
 
> Is there a free market solution? I guess the correct
> question is, how
> can we modify the regulatory system such that there is
> incentive to
> bring this stuff to market, without compromising the safety
> of the
> system?

The most parsimonious change to the patent laws that I can come up with that may relieve this problem is to have patents not automatically expire after 20 years but instead have them be split into two identical patents and sold to the highest bidders every 20 years. If nobody buys *any* of the patents, then they can be mothballed as public domain. Thus patents would be allowed to exist indefinitely as tradable commodities that grant the bearers the right to a '20 year shared monopoly' on a given technology.

Of course the government could also be allowed to award previously expired patents to bidders in the event that an older technology is needed. For example if society needed steam engines again for some reason, the government could reissue the patent on the steam engine to the highest bidder. I also imagine that competing patent-holders could attempt to buy each other out, should the levels of demand not warrant multiples of the same monopoly. 

Stuart LaForge

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up." -- Solomon


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 



More information about the extropy-chat mailing list