TechInsights outlines trends shaping the global patent space in 2015

OTTAWA, Ontario, Feb. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 2014 was a year in which patents were rarely out of the news. We expected significant clarification to arise from cases working through the US Supreme Court, but by the end of the year, there was still uncertainty. Patent reforms in the US, such as the Innovation Act, did not proceed and lobbying activity from both the reform and more circumspect groups continued to grow.

"The patent system is under increased pressure from a variety of sources," says Mike McLean, SVP IP Services, TechInsights. "Generating value from patent assets requires very targeted and detailed understanding of the underlying innovation and how it is being used in the market.  Companies maximizing the return from their patent portfolios are able to identify specific points of value and communicate the basis for that value in a very clear and compelling fashion."

So what issues do we anticipate to be significant for worldwide patent owners in 2015?

1. Refinement of patent subject matter eligibility guidance around software will continue as case law around software patents evolves. During this period of continued uncertainty and debasement of software patents around business methods, assertion companies should focus on infringement cases involving more concrete innovation in semiconductors, hardware, and software implementing a specific technical function rather than a business method or abstract concept.
2. Efforts to address the issues created by bad actors and their frivolous litigation using low quality patents have made some headway, but we have seen the lobbying war in the US expand to debate the whole philosophy of intellectual property protection and its role in a vibrant invention-driven economy. Needless to say, good actors will continue to differentiate themselves through their investment in innovation, and by demonstrating validity and infringement through Evidence of Use and Prior Art research.
3. Despite many claims to the contrary, the patent war of the mobile generation is not over, however, it has evolved. The focus has shifted to younger markets such as India and China and the players are emerging Tier 2 and 3 companies such as Xiaomi. Patent holders should make sure that they have good coverage in the emerging markets where they do business and if not, should file accordingly.
4. 2014 was the year of IoT hype and speculative acquisitions with the wearables sector in particular creating extraordinary column inches but little long term consumer traction so far. We anticipate that 2015 will be a year when realism and clarity comes to some market verticals within the IoT and we'll start to see clear trends emerging in market adoption with some technology and use case/ business model front-runners appearing.
5. The patent ecosystem has evolved and is reaching a new stage of maturity. Partnerships, lobbying groups and third party services - whether defensive aggregators or outsourced licensing services providers - now coexist. Understanding the landscape of strategic alliances, and the lobbying stance and intellectual property personality of both friend and foe is going to become a crucial element of business intelligence for new market entrants to be successful. Click here to read the full article.

So how did we do in our predictions for 2014? Check out our updated piece here.

About TechInsights

TechInsights is the global leader in intellectual property consulting, patent brokerage and technical reverse engineering. For over a quarter century, TechInsights has coupled patent expertise with reverse engineering to help the world's leading patent owners protect and grow their business.

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