Global competitiveness of the U.S. would be enhanced by improving education about the patent system. Patents are intended to promote innovation and the worldwide patent system is actually an amalgam of national patent systems of different countries governed by their respective laws.

Popular views of the patent system often suffer from a lack of understanding. The patent system has for centuries fueled the innovations we rely on, but patent law is complex and includes an unfamiliar lexicon. As a result, commentary about patents often contain factual inaccuracies and misleading inferences. Public confidence (in the patent system) inherently relies on an understanding of the patent system. We need to improve understanding of and confidence in the patent system if we are to appropriately tune it to optimize innovation.