There's a reason so many tech-related patent lawsuits have been filed in the Eastern District of Texas, and that's that it is widely known to be unusually patent-friendly. This new law does nothing to limit the ability of trolls and others to pick where they file their lawsuits in the hopes of more favorable results.

Pro: None, except for trolls and the Eastern District of Texas.

Con: Leaves another part of the trolling and lawsuit problem unaddressed.

6. Fee Setting Authority

Up until now, Congress has been in charge of setting the fees charged by the patent office, and it has diverted a lot of those funds--some over the years--toward other purposes. While Congress will still have some say in this area, the USPTO has been granted more authority to set its own fees and keep much of what it collects.