Patently-O Bits and Bytes No. 50

• Query: Does anyone use the XML links found within private PAIR?
• Obviousness: Secondary factors are generally used to prove that an invention is nonobvious. Symmetry may cause us to think that factors may also exist that are useful in showing that an invention is obvious. A recent article by Brent Yamashita explores one of these: Simultaneous Invention. “[T]he fact that another person simultaneously and independently created the same invention claimed in the patent-in-suit can serve as an indication that the invention was obvious.”
• EVENTS:  Upcoming events from American Conference Institute:
• Global Patent Litigation Congress, October 7-8, 2008, New York, NY
• Business Method Patents, November 19-20, 2008, New York, NY
• ACI is a media sponsor of the Patently-O Job Site.
• Patent Lie: I read A Patent Lie over the weekend — lots of fun for a patent attorney to read.
• Tragedy of the Anticommons: Professor Heller’s new book is apparently an easy read. His work serves as a base for many who see IP rights as excessive and problematic. [LINK][Tim Wu Review]