About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

LOG IN
LOG IN


12 J. Tech. L. & Pol'y 179 (2007)
Patent Inequity: Rethinking the Application of Strict Liability to Patent Law in the Nanotechnology Era

handle is hein.journals/jtlp12 and id is 183 raw text is: PATENT INEQUITY?: RETHINKING THE APPLICATION OF STRICT LIABILITY TO PATENT LAW IN THE NANOTECHNOLOGY ERA Siddharth Khaniou* I. INTRODUCTION ..................................... 180 II. WHAT Is NANOTECHNOLOGY?: DISTINGUISHING NANOTECH FROM TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGY ............ 184 A. Bottom- Up Manufacturing: Creating Devices with Atomic Specifications ............................. 185 B. The Unique Effects of Quantum Mechanics ............ 187 C. The Perils of Parallel Processing ................... 188 III. THE PATENT BARGAIN AND JUSTIFICATIONS FOR PATENT PROTECTION ................................ 189 A. The Incentive-to-Invest Model ...................... 191 B. The Private Transaction Cost Savings Model .......... 193 C. Inadvertent Infringement Does Not Further the Goals of Patent Protection ................................ 194 IV. THE STRICT LIABILITY REGIME ........................ 195 A. The Historical Development of Strict Liability ......... 195 B. The Implementation of Strict Liability in Patent Law: The Notice Distinction ............................ 197 1. SmithKline Beecham Corp. v. Apotex Corp ......... 199 2. Schmeiser v. Monsanto Canada, Inc ............... 200 C. The Economic Rationale for Strict Liability ........... 203 1. The Positive Economic Theory .................. 204 2. The Cheapest Cost-Avoider ..................... 207 D. The Problem with Applying Strict Liability to Nanotechnology ........................ 208 * J.D. 2006, DePaul University College of Law; A.B. 1999, Occidental College. I am grateful for the guidance and encouragement provided by Professors Lori Andrews (Institute of Science, Law, and Technology) and Katherine Strandburg (DePaul University College of Law). This material is based upon work supported by the Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Award Number DE-FG02-06ER64276. I would also like to thank my mother, father, sister, and wife for their love and support.