A patent holder should -never- be able to ban an entity from using an idea in one of their products, if our society's priority to maximize quality of life ('if'

A patent holder should -never- be able to ban an entity from using an idea in one of their products, if our society's priority to maximize quality of life ('if' because it is clearly not a priority for certain entities). The patent system needs to balance the need for an incentive to invent, with the goal of maximizing quality of life. The current state of the American patent system stagnates society on multiple levels: 1) Patents, in too many cases, are a prohibitive barrier to entry for entrepreneurs. We have a system in which entrepreneurs know that if an adequately wealthy corporation were to knowingly file frivolous patent lawsuit, the cost, time, and energy to defend such a lawsuit could threaten the life of a fledgling business. Such a system can only have a chilling effect on entrepreneurship and economic growth. Trying to improve the world should -not- feel like walking on a minefield, and until that is fixed, our economy is not receiving the full benefit of its entrepreneurs. 2) Another inventor may be able to use a patented idea as a component for a broader, more useful (patentable) idea. A patent holder should not be able to prevent the development of innovations based upon their own. 3) In many cases, the inventor is not the best producer of his own invention. Society, as a whole, is best off when the best inventions can be produced by the most capable producers, and a patent holder should never be able to prevent this optimal economic arrangement. American society generally values creativity far more than productivity, as reflected not only in its patent system, but in its popular culture, heroes of industry, etc. But in terms the health and sustainability of society, and economic output, productivity is at least as important. If Americans don't collectively acknowledge this, broader economic, and ultimately geopolitical, consequences will continue. As a minimal solution to reverse these trends, I would suggest that patent holders be stripped of the ability to prevent others from being able to use their ideas in a product, but should be able to retain the ability to charge reasonable royalties. Thus, our society may be able to approach a healthier balance between its need for innovation and production.