IAM Issue 71

When using patent information services, you get what you pay for

Justifying patent expenses can be tough for in-house counsel. However, finding a common language is crucial to helping chief financial officers understand how patents help their investments

It has never been harder to be an NPE in the United States, so it’s no surprise that at the NPE 2015 conference in New York, opportunities further afield were a major subject of discussion

Over 25 years Rambus has transitioned from a technology development company to a patent monetisation entity to a business focused on both licensing and product innovation. These changes have been driven from within, with the legal team playing a crucial role

There has been plenty of movement in the latest edition of IAM and MDB Capital Group’s annual listing of the world’s largest portfolios of active US patent assets. But it remains the case that a handful of companies still rule the roost

New review procedures introduced by the America Invents Act, recent USPTO initiatives and key rulings from the US Supreme Court have increased the focus on patent quality. This marks a significant change for companies and lawyers filing patents

Instituted by the America Invents Act, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board was formed in September 2012 to limit excessive litigation costs and improve patent quality in the United States. We take a look at its progress since then

Analysis of recent filing, litigation and damages trends in South Korea highlights the country’s prospects as an increasingly important IP marketplace

Ballooning patent portfolios, new IP courts and intense tech-sector competition mean that activity in China’s litigation space is heating up. Could this become the next major forum for high-stakes patent battles?

A great innovation is only the first step for success. The best companies understand that the key to sustainable advantage is to build a model for successive innovation so that they are continuously one step ahead of their competitors

A selection of key IP facts and figures, as reported by IAM and other sources

Interested in making good patents the rule rather than the exception? Let us start with a more reliable definition of ‘quality’

Management that employ a risk mitigation strategy for their intellectual property can maintain freedom to operate and profitability for their business

The Paris High Court has accepted an experimental use exemption for biosimilars and for marketing authorisations outside the European Union

The biotech sector is rarely mentioned in the US patent reform debate, but proposed legislation and recent court decisions present it with major challenges

An ongoing dispute between the senior management of the European Patent Office and a union representing examiners shows why transparency is vital at an agency whose role will only become more important