Highlights of the last seven days on the IAM blog

A number of recent developments have caused a decline in the value of US patents. But until now, one potential consequence has been overlooked. On the IAM blog this week, IPNav founder Erich Spangenberg argued that the combined effects of the America Invents Act and a spate of court decisions mean that publicly quoted companies that have directly or indirectly acquired patents must revisit the transactions to see whether their values require writedowns; those that do not could well face regulatory and/or shareholder action, he stated. Meanwhile, in another blog exclusive, a senior IP strategist at BASF explained why legislative moves against ‘trolls’ will end up harming the US economy. Elsewhere, we looked at how the demise of Hydis Technologies has fired an IP warning shot across the bows of all Korean companies, and explored the possibility of smartphone patent wars in China. We also focused on statistics from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board that confirm inter partes reviews are primarily the preserve of big technology companies; and reported on research showing how patents and licensing have underpinned the development of the global mobile communications economy.