MBAOnline.com released an infographic called “Patent Evil: How The Patent War is Stifling Innovation in Silicon Valley”. Now, I know many of you will think I am posting this infographic because they used lightsabers…that is not (completely) true. I really do find the data included shocking. For example, possible number of patent claims a single smartphone may involve and the number of lawsuits over mobile technology this year. The graphics are outstanding and the data important.
Melissa Fach
SEJ Editor - Melissa is the owner of SEO Aware, LLC. She is a consultant and trainer helping companies make the most of their content marketing and SEO. She specializes is the Psychology behind blogging and content marketing. Melissa is also an associate at SEOmoz.org, an associate and writer at CopyPress an editor at Authority Labs and a columnist at SmallBizTrends.com She is a self-proclaimed Star Wars and Internet geek and volunteers with big cats at BigCatHabitat.org.
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The number of total patent lawsuits has been fairly steady over the last decade. This is according to the former head of the CAFC (Court of Appeals Federal Circuit), Judge Michel.The reason you are seeing so many lawsuits in the smart phone area is frankly because companies refuse to practice simple due diligence and their unwillingness to pay inventors for using their property rights. also, you will see a concentration of lawsuits in hot new areas of technology where alot of money is being made. patents do not stifle innovation. those countries without strong patent systems do not innovate. This is consistent with History, look at the patent wars on sewing machines during the 1850′s.
Please note total value of intellectual capital is estimated to be $8.1 to $9.2 trillion in the US only: <
Litigation costs and damages awarded are less than 1/1000th of this number.
So although the litigation costs appear huge, they still have to be put in the right perspective. The wealth brought by IP is by far outweighing the litigation costs that are unavoidably connected therewith.
Thank you, patent system for the tremendous wealth you have brought us, thank you very, very much!