What’s Next in IP?
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Innovation Protection
‘Shameless’ War on ITC
We recently noted the large number of significant patent verdict awards of 2024. Although those are usually a positive indicator of the health of the patent market because they may instill some fear in serial infringers, the reality is, they have their limit—the same way a blue-collar worker winning the Powerball does not mean the middle class is suddenly looking to brighter prospects.
Understanding Improvement Patents
With an improvement patent, you add improvements to a previously patented invention. If you are not the owner of the previous patent, you might be able to get a patent but not be able to sell the product related to the patent because you would be infringing on the original patent.
Goodwill Attempt Backfires
Under pressure to fight counterfeit products on its online platform and those accused of violating third-party patents, Amazon created its APEX program. It’s sort of an intramural arbitration process whereby someone claiming its patents were being infringed upon by an article sold on the Amazon website could—for a $4,000 fee—file a complaint and be bound by the final decision of the patent specialist retained by Amazon.
And the Winner Is …
As our readers know, one of Tangible IP’s criteria for assessing the health of the patent market is tied to large verdict awards that tend to make headlines and grab attention in the boardrooms. The past couple months provided its share of those, which should help long term in maintaining—if not increasing—patent valuations.