Patents and Patent Searching

Introduction: "The case against patents can be summarized briefly: there is no empirical evidence that they serve to increase innovation and productivity, unless productivity is identified with the number of patents awarded—which, as evidence shows, has no correlation with measured productivity. This disconnect is at the root of what is called the 'patent puzzle': in spite of the enormous increase in the number of patents and in the strength of their legal protection, the U.S. economy has seen neither a dramatic acceleration in the rate of technological progress nor a major increase in the levels of research and development expenditure." Boldrin, Michele, and David K. Levine, "The Case Against Patents," Journal of Economic Perspectives (vol. 27, no. 1), Winter 2013, pp. 3-22

The Scholarly Kitchen blog, February 21, 2013.

"In July, a consortium led by Microsoft, Apple and wireless industry players such as Research in Motion paid $4.5 billion for 6,000 patents from the now liquidated networking company Nortel. Last month, Google purchased Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, in part to gain access to the company’s 17,000 patents. And Eastman Kodak, a company struggling to navigate the digital era, has multiple parties bidding to buy its patent portfolio.

"Welcome to the patent bull market. 'There is clearly a patent-hoarding mentality in technology — and in mobile communications, specifically,' says Andrea Matwyshyn, a professor of legal studies and business ethics at Wharton. 'The game is to amass as many patents as you can.' "

Knowledge@Wharton, September 14, 2011

"A coaltion of inventors, patent owners, researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, patent agents and attorneys, and others involved in creating or protecting innovation and advocating for stronger patent protection."

Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2019

November 2019

National Academies Press, 2004

A Report by the Federal Trade Commission, October 2003

February 25, 2010, Mashable: The Social Media Guide

January 15, 2020

USPTO, February 23, 2010. Assignee: Facebook, Inc. (Palo Alto, CA)