FTC Announces Revised Proposed Information Request For Study On Patent Assertion Entities

As reported in the October 2013 issue of Orrick's Antitrust and Competition Newsletter, on Oct. 3, 2013, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission published a Federal Register notice that it intends to conduct a study concerning Patent Assertion Entities. The FTC received 70 public comments in response to its Oct. 3, 2013, notice seeking public input on the usefulness and burden of the proposed information collection requests. On May 19, 2014, FTC published a second Federal Register notice with revised proposed information requests. According to an FTC press release dated May 13, 2014, in light of comments the FTC received, the Commission scaled back the scope of information requested and also revised the relevant period to begin Jan. 1, 2009, rather than Jan. 1, 2008. The FTC is accepting comments until June 18, 2014.