IBM-Vermont, patent reform, and Senator Leahy

from the Burlington Free Press:

"The category is government," Bombardier [ the head of IBM's facility in Essex Junction, VT ] said. "The answer is: This Vermonter wrote the first major update of patent law in 60 years."

"Who is Sen. Patrick Leahy," answered the crowd of several hundred IBMers, there to celebrate the passage this week of Leahy's bill to reform and modernize the U.S. patent system.

With her introduction, Bombardier neatly wrapped up both the patent reform that is expected to make a difference for IBM's Essex Junction facility, which collectively has filed more than 1,000 U.S. patents over the years, and Watson, the IBM supercomputer that trounced Jeopardy champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter in three episodes that aired in February. Many of the components for Watson originated in Essex Junction.