Category: Patent Strategy
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Patents Enable Innovation – not the other way around
Sophisticated companies view patents as *enabling* innovation, not as a result of it. This comes from a much more holistic view of IP protection. Startups and first time entrepreneurs/inventors focus on “protecting” their investment in…
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Budgeting for Patents
How much should a typical company budget for patent protection? One of the best books on IP and patents is Patent Portfolios by Larry Goldstein. In this book, Mr. Goldstein analyzes how companies build out…
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Full court press for patent licensing negotiations
Many companies want to license their technologies. But what happens when a company takes a license, then decides to quit paying – or refuses to negotiate after the first license runs out? LG Electronics is…
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IP Theft by an “Angel” Investor
An angry “angel” investor commits federal crimes by stealing IP. How an investor stole intellectual property from a portfolio company. This is a true story. Sadly, predatory actions by so-called “angel” investors are more common…
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Beware of (some) Angel Group’s Due Diligence
Not all “due diligence” is created equal. There are hundreds of angel groups all across the country, and each one has a different flavor. Some are occasional “dinner clubs” fashioned after Shark Tank, where a…
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Smaller Companies CAN Use IP to Protect Against Bigger Competitors
“Grown ups” use patents to their strategic advantage. https://www.dvidshub.net/image/4216831/jltv-fort-mccoy Intellectual property can be a very strategic asset for smaller companies – when done well. Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh corporation, a $6.6B market cap…
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What Is Patent Infringement?
Patent infringement is when someone else uses your patented idea without permission. The strict, legal definition is when someone infringes or performs every limitation of at least one patent claim. This is found in 35…
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Lawsuit dismissed for undetectable software patent claims
Summary: Undetectable[1][2] claims are a huge problem during litigation. This highlights the disconnect between what the patent attorney does during examination – and what the litigator needs to successfully sue infringers. DataWidget vs Mailchimp Datawidget…
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How Patent Pools Work
Patent pools and standards essential patents are the Holy Grail of intellectual property. Patent pools are sophisticated ways that companies can bring technology together, cross license them, and license that package of intellectual property to…
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Financing patents for pre-angel or pre-seed startups
Good patents only come from a good business BlueIron provides financing for patents – but only when the patent makes good business sense. When we finance patents, we do extensive due diligence to make sure…