Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Stopping the Offensive Use of Patents Act” or the “STOP Act”.
Stopping the Offensive Use of Patents Act
A BILL
To make improvements to the transitional program for covered business method patents, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Improvements to transitional program for covered business method patents
in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (3); and
in subsection (d)(1), by striking “a financial product or” and inserting “an enterprise, a product, or a”.
Effective date—
Removal of sunset— The amendment made by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
Definition of covered business method patent— The amendment made by paragraph (2) of subsection (a) shall apply as if included in the enactment of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act.
Sec. 3 Expansion of pro bono program at the United States Patent and Trademark Office
In general— The Director of the Office shall work with and support intellectual property law associations throughout the United States, within established pro bono programs, to assist financially under-resourced resellers, users, implementers, distributors, or customers of an allegedly infringing product or process.
Definitions— In this section:
Director— The term Director means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Office— The term Office means the United States Patent and Trademark Office.