Weekly IP Buzz for the Week Ending December 4, 2020

In this week's post, we see that Congress has passed a new law, the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act, which will set industry standards for IoT devices and manufacturers to meet.

Plus, the patent process is complex and several criteria must be met to successfully apply for a patent.

The IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act Sets National Standards for Smart Devices

Congress has managed to complete the final touches on a new law that will regulate the Internet of Things (“IoT”).  Known as the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act, the law has received bipartisan support and approval from the industry.

Under the advisement of technology experts such as Mozilla, BSA The Software Alliance, and Symantec, the law addresses many different aspects of the Internet of Things, which includes, but is not limited to, security, development, identity management, updating and patches, and configuration management.  

Specifically, the law sets guidelines and requirements that will govern how IoT-related products should be handled.  While companies may still choose to opt-out and not comply with the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act, the companies that do abide by the new law will be able to claim and advertise that they are industry approved and meet IoT standards, which will help discerning consumers who may be concerned about the security of their IoT devices.  The passage of this new law is also timely as some state legislatures are already in the process of passing similar legislation that will govern IoT standards at a state level.

Read more here.

How to Get a Patent: A Quick Overview of the Process

Obtaining a patent is an important step to protect your intellectual property, but involves a long and complex process.  Understanding the basic requirements to obtain a patent as well as the steps of the application process can help you plan ahead.  

Find the full article here.

Click to read the previous Weekly IP Buzz on Thriving Attorney.

For more posts, see our Intellectual Property Law Blog.

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In addition to publishing Thriving Attorney, Darin M. Klemchuk is founder of Klemchuk LLP, a litigation, intellectual property, and transactional law firm located in Dallas, Texas. Click to read more about Darin Klemchuk's practice as an intellectual property lawyer as well as IP mediation services. For more on the latest developments in IP law, see Ideate blog and IP Questions Answered blog.