Columns
In a few years the way in whichpatent disputes are conducted mayhave changed dramatically. If thisdoes happen, it is not only rightsowners who will be confronted byconsiderable challenges. Law firmsand lawyers will have a lot to thinkabout, too
Most patents are not worth thepaper they are written on. MostR&D is a waste of money. Butthose companies that commit tobuilding intellectual propertyportfolios and invest in researchdo better than those that don’t.How does that work?
There is a common misconceptionthat intellectual property will notmake or break a deal in the venturecapital world. But the truth is that itcan and it does
“Database right?” is more likely tobe understood by a Europeanbusiness manager as a question ofaccuracy than as a reference to aform of intellectual property.However, since 1st January 1998,the database right has been just thatas a result of a European Directive
Features
Companies need brands for their goods and services. And if such brands are tohave any meaningful value they will have to be underpinned by trademarkrights. However, it is getting harder to devise marks that are not already ownedby other people. That’s where trademark trading comes in. By Peter Rouse
If senior executives are to appreciate fully the IP management work beingdone inside their companies they need strategically aligned metrics that relateto their business knowledge. According to recent research, this meansexpressing IP performance in a language that the boardroom understands.By Rob Williamson
Patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intangibles are not worth anything ifthey sit in isolation. It requires individuals with vision and ability to understandtheir potential and to turn this into meaningful return by putting in placeprogrammes that will maximise their value.By Dr Lindsay Moore and Lesley S Craig, Esq
Ask scientists and engineers and they will tell you that most patents are notworth the paper they are written on. Many on the valuation and consultancyside of the IAM equation would beg to differ. How can such different views bereconciled? By Nir Kossovsky
Although intangible assets are not specifically mentioned in the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, there are good grounds for believing that they will fall underits provisions. Those responsible for managing IP and related assets would dowell to plan for this eventuality now as non-compliance can be very costly.By Nancy Drehwing Edwards
Insights
It is not acceptable for directors to useignorance as an excuse for theircompanies’ poor IP performance.Especially as there are so many tools outthere which make decision-making lesscomplicated than it has ever been before.
Copyright owners have not been getting a great press recently. But a new scheme,designed to make digital works protected by copyright more accessible, gives them theopportunity to show that they have the flexibility to countenance the dilution of their rights
