Modern patent systems are slow, inefficient, expensive, and may result in outcomes that actively harm technological progress. This paper proposes a substantive re-think of these systems and lays a foundation upon which practical solutions can be built. Many solutions proposed in the past, such as prior-art bounties, outsourced examination, and dynamic fee setting, have gone unheeded due to the cost of administering them and the rigidity of the patent system. We explore how distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) enable these major changes by altering the way stakeholders are able to interact with the patent records system. We find that transitioning to a DLT-based patent records system can enable many previously suggested improvements to current patent systems in a flexible, scalable, and transparent manner. The case for such a transition is strengthened when jointly considering the complex but common roots of problems facing modern patent systems, rather than a balkanised set of technical solutions to address each issue independently. Noting that a DLT-based system is not a panacea, we also provide comment on the political, legal, and organisational challenges that must be overcome for such changes to be implemented at scale.

现代专利制度缓慢，效率低下，价格昂贵，并且可能导致结果严重损害技术进步。本文提出了对这些系统的实质性重新思考，并为可以建立实际解决方案奠定了基础。过去提出的许多解决方案，例如现有技术的赏金，外包审查和动态费用设定，由于其管理成本和专利制度的严格性而没有得到重视。我们探讨了分布式分类帐技术（DLT）如何通过改变利益相关者与专利记录系统进行交互的方式来实现这些重大变化。我们发现，过渡到基于DLT的专利记录系统可以以灵活，可扩展和透明的方式使许多先前建议的对当前专利系统的改进成为可能。当共同考虑现代专利制度面临的复杂但共同的问题根源，而不是单独解决每一个问题的一系列技术解决方案时，这种过渡的理由就会得到加强。注意到基于DLT的系统不是万灵药，因此，我们还评论了要大规模实施此类更改所必须克服的政治，法律和组织挑战。