A “Patent Open Data” conference is appropriate, since in my experiences foreign engineers pay a lot more attention to published application or patent disclosures than U.S. engineers do or should.*

I do have a pet peeve about the amount of money some people have made over the years claiming that one can accurately determine the value or “pioneer” status of patents from the number of times it is cited in later filed patents [like science papers are supposed to]. In any given field both attorneys and PTO examiners pick the prior art to cite against patent applications depending on what “hits” they get in on-line searching, or what prior art patent they are aware of having a good detailed specification. Neither is likely to be the first-filed pioneer patent and/or the patent with the broadest claims, since claim breadth is irrelevant to prior art searches and citations for patents.

*Even if not also hacked-into well before 18 months from their filing dates.