消费者权利和专利问题是整个互联网社区的持续热门话题，以及包括3D打印在内的新的新兴数字行业。电子边界基金会（EFF）成立于1990年，目的是面对任何前沿问题，并全面捍卫言论自由，隐私创新和消费者权利。EFF现在正在努力确保即兴授予专利不会威胁到令人兴奋且快速增长的3D印刷技术。
他们工作的一个要素需要与哈佛大学的Cyberlaw诊所进行密切合作Berkman Center for Internet and Society, which is working towards challenging a number of such dangerous patent applications at the Patent Office. The current patent application process relies on a fairly new legal procedure called Preissuance Submissions, which according to EFF is a welcome step towards opening up the system to those who might not be filing patents themselves, but who are affected by the patent system every day.
The challenge with this process is that it is still difficult to search the Patent Office’s website for pending applications and identify applications that are potentially posing a danger to a growing technology such as 3D printing. Most importantly the process is clunky for uncovering and submitting helpful information during the short, open window of opportunity.
EFF has now partnered withAsk Patents解决这些问题，现在正在介绍基本的众包原则，以防止可疑的专利申请完成。公民志愿者和其他有关方面现在可以询问他们认为可疑的任何申请。其他人可以回答和上投票或投票，以评估志愿者发现的任何信息示例。
这是利用新的预发行项目的一种退出方式，我们每个人现在都可以对整个过程中的任何潜在有害专利产生影响。EFF现在已提交了与Ask Patents上有关3D打印的前三个应用程序，您可以在下面查看。
请求先验艺术：3D打印应用程序“生产三维形状的对象和生产相同的设备的过程”（13/503217）：http://patents.stackexchange.com/q/3494/3363
请致电先前的艺术：3D打印应用程序“添加剂制造系统和用于打印定制巧克力糖果的方法”（13/432424）：http://patents.stackexchange.com/q/3493/3363
CALL FOR PRIOR ART: 3D Printing application “Ribbon Filament and Assembly for Use in Extrusion-based Digital Manufacturing Systems” (13/530191):http://patents.stackexchange.com/q/3495/3363
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