Proper organization of a patent porfolio is essential to be prepared to properly navigate the IP landscape. One key issue is related to inventorship. Consider the Pfizer patent, patent # 5,760,06^, which is commonly known as the COX-2 inhibitor. Pfizer is currently in a $1B lawsuit because Searle, the original owner of the patent, failed to include a key inventor on the patent. Pfizer inherited this mess when they acquired Pharmacia, who had previously acquired Monsanto, who had previously acquired Searle. Ignorance is not a defensible excuse in patent litigation.

Executives need vision to convert patented R&D into a profit center. Consider EMI, a london company that produces music (a music label company). In their Central Research Laboratories in Hayes, Godfrey Hounsfield had an idea to integrate X-ray slices to create a 3-D image (originally known as an EMI scan), today know as a CT or CAT scan. Godfrey was awared a Nobel Prize for his work, and later knighted. The idea came to him while picnicking in the park; however, the senior executives realized this was no picnic. They leveraged the technology (foundation patent #3,778,614), securing over 120 of the first 450 patents in this space. The legacy competitors (General Electric, Philips, Siemens) were playing catch-up with this innovator. Few executives would be brave enough to execute such a divergent business strategy.

In Nortel's recent bankrupcy, the liquidation of the IP assets led to a bidding war. Google offered $900M for the patents; Apple and Microsoft created an alliance (with RIM, Sony, EMC, Ericsson) to offer $4.5B for the same patents^. Certainly there was a great disparity in these bid prices. How can you objectively determine the value of a portfolio and patent duration. Let the tools at IPstreet.com help you.

Traditionally, IP counselors are buffered from the senior-executive decision-making process. Although patent attorneys represent an elite group that have a scientific background, this technical background many times prevents you from being a part of top-level strategic decisions. With your subject-matter expertise, and our ability to convert the complexities of the patent space into actionable business intelligence, you can earn a seat in the executive board room. Connie from Lee & Hayes says, " As an IP attorney, I specialize in life sciences technologies and need tools that go beyond a good search. I use IP Street's suite of tools because the analysis provides great business insights in a fraction of the time it used to take, allowing me to be more responsive to my clients with better information. As a result, I am able to play a more integral role in my clients' business. " It is about time you can communicate actionable business intelligence from patent documents. Executives are starting to recognize the importance of Intellectual Assets and their management, but they need more. An you can provide it for them.

Conducting a thorough patent search is difficult, particularly for the novice. Patent searching is a learned skill. A novice in the United States could contact the nearest Patent and Trademark Depository Library (PTDL) and seek out search experts to help in setting up a search strategy.