1. Software cannot be patented. If there is any doubt as to whether a patent is a software patent, it is.

2. Business methods cannot be patented. As before, if there is any doubt as to whether or not it is a business method patent, it is.

3. Obviousness and novelty should be decided by experts in the field who, as much as possible, have no stake in the matter.

4. You cannot re-patent a new application of the same idea in solely order to extend the life of the patent.

5. You must include a working model with your patent.

6. The patent office gets the same fees whether they grant patents or not.

7. The patent office employees get a bonus every year. For every overturned patent in court, the legal fees of the winner come out of the bonuses of those who were involved in granting the bad patent. (Bonus can be 0, but not negative).

8. Funding for the patent office stays with the patent office and cannot be diverted by congress or others for other purposes. Excess funding beyond a working threshold goes towards bonuses.

9. Patents are limited to 5 years.

10. You cannot patent life, or life processes.