Arthur, an inventor who was granted "several dozen patents", was also an independent patent attorney.

Broader Trend Suggested Some independent patent experts say Mr. Lemelson's case suggests a broader trend.

Many PIUG members do patent searching for corporations, law firms, and academic institutions as well as many independent patent information consultants.

Accusations of Manipulation But corporate opponents and some independent patent experts say Mr. Lemelson merely dramatizes how the patent system in this country has gone awry.

His First Patent Theodore Edison obtained his first independent patent, for a device used in eliminating vibration in machinery, in 1932, when he was 33 years old.

Today, it is one of the most exciting branches of the subject partly because polymorphic forms of drugs may be entitled to independent patent protection if they show new and improved properties over the known crystal forms.

Clearly, we must quickly create a route to independent patent jurisdiction which is open to everyone. Or do we want further to abandon a powerful authority to a form of self-monitoring which still does not even begin to operate satisfactorily?

In the Prilosec case, independent patent law experts said that failure to tell the patent office about a relevant prior patent application, even in another country, would be a serious violation of government regulations and could result in AstraZeneca's patent being found to be invalid.