If you want to find the company with the most patents held in the United States, you need look no further than Big Blue.  IBM, the behemoth of the enterprise technology world, is the big kid on the block when it comes to technology patents (they were granted 2,941 patents in 2005 alone), and in recent years has taken steps to be less of the scary 900 pound gorilla in the corner, and more the benevolent patriarch to the tech community.  First through the donation of certain patented technology to be used in Open Source works, and now in an effort to break open the often veiled patent process.

Starting later this year/early next, IBM will post its US Patent Office filings on their website for public review and critique.  This will, in an ideal world, help sort out issues of prior-art before it reaches formal USPTO reivew, and will give technology enthusiasts, rival companies, and other technologists an idea of whether or not what they're working on might infringe on an IBM patent.  Considering the size and clout IBM wields in the industry, they hope that this move will encourage other patent-generating companies to follow suit and do the same.

There are however, misgivings over this new direction.  Fears include tipping the company hand on upcoming technology, thus limiting their competitive advantage in the marketplace. 

Read more on the News.com article linked below.