Set a cap on the number of patents issued each year. Like 500, max, across all industries. Or set a limit of 10,000 active patents, with new ones only accepted

Set a cap on the number of patents issued each year. Like 500, max, across all industries. Or set a limit of 10,000 active patents, with new ones only accepted as old ones expire. If you want a chance at a patent you file with the PTO (under NDA, in case the patent isn't granted) for a nominal processing fee and at the end of the year the best 500 are selected from the perspective of "most useful disclosure of information", "least likely to be reverse-engineered or independently reinvented", and "lowest cost to the public in being restricted from freely implementing the patented invention for the next 20 years". Variations: Let the filer pick the duration of the patent, with a shorter duration improving the odds of being selected (lower cost to the public). Or replace the monopoly with a one-time cash payout to make the invention freely available for the public to implement immediately.