Changes

The bill defines "demand letter" as any written communication directed to an unaffiliated third party stating or indicating that the intended recipient, or anyone affiliated with that recipient, is or may be infringing a patent, or may bear liability or owe compensation to another because of such patent. The act also authorizes a court, in a patent infringement or validity action brought by an entity that does not meet such USPTO disclosure requirements, to sanction such entity for an amount to be awarded to the adverse party to cover any costs incurred as a result of such violation. The act exempts from such disclosure requirements: (1) original or joint inventors, (2) institutions of higher education, and (3) technology transfer organizations facilitating the commercialization of technology developed by institutions of higher education. The act directs the USPTO to establish a publicly accessible and searchable database of the information obtained pursuant to such disclosures.