Opinion

Coons’ US patent injunction plan is a long shot, but other options may be available

The Delaware senator is said to be contemplating legislation designed to undo the four-part eBay v MercExchange test. However, its route to the statute books appears tough. A case in his home state, though, may offer a partial way forward

09 November 2023

Is Japan ready to stop patent hoarding and start exploiting its vast intangible resources?

Saturday Opinion: IPDefine CEO Aaron Mollin says change is afoot in the willingness of IP teams in some of the largest companies to use AI for portfolio-wide patent optimisation and monetisation initiatives

04 November 2023

Microsoft and IBM owe this man so much … IAM does too

Marshall Phelps transformed the IP performances of two tech titans, paving the way to billions of dollars’ worth of royalty earnings. He also played a key role in making this platform a viable business, starting 20 years ago

03 November 2023

The EPC continues to shine 50 years on

Saturday Opinion: The convention is a cornerstone on which European innovation has prospered over the last 50 years – and is just as relevant today as the day it was signed, says EPO President António Campinos

28 October 2023

Global FRAND fragmentation

Saturday Opinion: SEP licensing expert Eric Stasik offers his take on the potential reaction outside of Europe to the European Commission’s SEP regulation proposal

21 October 2023

Still no answers to key EC SEP licensing regulation questions

Political action around the controversial proposals is intensifying, but a serious lack of transparency in the decision making process remains a cause for concern

19 October 2023

A tale of two UPC opt-outs

Saturday Opinion: Two sensible decisions from the UPC confirm how the exceptions to opt-out and withdrawal work

14 October 2023

Vidal is right, Europe is wrong, pools rock and other 5G SEP observations

A new report reveals a complex connectivity market whose immense potential will only be maximised if businesses, regulators and courts all play their part. Some get that. Unfortunately, others seemingly do not

12 October 2023

US patent eligibility bill will level the playing field for US innovators

Saturday Opinion: Chief IP officers should be acutely aware of this legislation’s profound implications, especially for medical devices, AI, and healthcare

07 October 2023

Trade secrets are a TRIPs waiver target and that is a big problem

Disappointment with last year’s WTO agreement on suspending patent rights to secure covid-19 vaccine supplies has led campaigners to intensify calls for a new agreement that would include know-how

05 October 2023

Changing China’s patent pool perceptions requires deep conversation

Saturday Opinion: This week’s news that Huawei has joined Sisvel’s Cellular IOT programme is further indication of a market looking outwards, but there’s more work to be done

30 September 2023

Meet this year’s IP Hall of Fame inductees - Brian Hinman

The winner of the 2023 Q. Todd Dickinson Award for outstanding contributions to IP as a business asset, Brian Hinman is one of the world’s most distinguished patent licensing professionals

28 September 2023

Patent pools are making waves – but will Brussels listen?

Saturday Opinion: There’s plenty of compelling evidence that the market is capable of compromise without the heavy hand of regulation

23 September 2023

Europe’s SEP licensing regulation on course to become law

As momentum for the controversial legislation builds in EU institutions, it will be tough to halt even though its multiple flaws are becoming increasingly apparent

21 September 2023

Apple’s Chinese difficulties reflect the challenges all IP owners face there

The company’s share price fell by billions of dollars last week because of investor concerns about a new Huawei device and a rumoured government ban on officials using iPhones. It was a timely reminder of the kinds of problem China poses to rights holders individually and collectively

14 September 2023

Sluggish take-up of trade secrets insurance underscores awareness gap

Saturday opinion: Protection opportunities are beginning to come to the fore for companies looking to protect valuable IP, says IAM’s trade secrets reporter Maia Biermann

09 September 2023

There is so much more to IP value than monetisation

A recent IAM article that cast doubts on whether patents, trademarks and other rights can normally be regarded as standalone assets distinct from the entities that own them sparked a big response. This led its author, Joff Wild, to do some further thinking

07 September 2023