New York, NY -- February 1, 2007 -- The Public Patent Foundation ("PUBPAT") announced today that it has filed a formal request with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to review a patent held by Patriot Scientific Corp. (OB: PTSC) that the company, which boasts of "primarily focusing on deriving revenue from licensing patents", is widely asserting against producers of computer microprocessors.  In its filing, PUBPAT submitted prior art that the Patent Office was not aware of when reviewing the application that led to the issuance of the patent (U.S. Patent No. 5,809,336), described in detail how the prior art invalidates the patent and asked that the patent be revoked.

Despite no longer making any product or service itself, Patriot Scientific is asserting the patent against those that produce or distribute microprocessors, either alone or with a computer.  Patriot Scientific's assertion of the patent has included the filing of infringement lawsuits and the sending of over 150 letters threatening litigation.  PUBPAT challenged the patent because Patriot Scientific's aggressive assertion of it is causing substantial public harm by threatening to levy additional costs on the production of microprocessors, which could make every computer Americans buy more expensive.

"Patriot Scientific is yet another corporate front for contingency fee patent attorneys to sue and threaten productive members of society," said Dan Ravicher, PUBPAT's Executive Director.  "While one can't blame them for doing what is in their self interest - much like one can't blame cockroaches for appearing when it is you who left crumbs on the counter - it is past time for our policy makers to ask themselves whether such activity is beneficial for the public, or is instead a siphoning of resources that could be better spent on doing technological research or passed on to consumers in lower prices for goods."

The Request for Reexamination filed by PUBPAT against the patent Patriot Scientific is widely asserting against microprocessors can be found at PUBPAT > Patriot Scientific Microprocessor Patent