New legislation to amend patent law

Yesterday bills were introduced in the U.S. Senate (S. 515) and House of Representatives (H.R.1260 ) to amend Title 35 of the U.S. Code, "to provide for patent reform". According to a story in Techworld, the legislation is intended to stimulate innovation and would change the way the US Patent and Trademark Office works, bring US patent law in line with global laws, and introduce "reasonable royalty" provisions, which change the way damages are calculated and would reduce the likelihood of massive payouts for some patent holders.