Edison in the Boardroom Revisited: How Leading Companies Realize Value from Their Intellectual Property, Second Edition

Functions, Tools, and Capabilities Quiz: Questions Only You Can Answer

Today, there are a number of software tools and service vendors to help companies visualize, analyze, and manage their intellectual property. In 2001 when Edison was first published, such tools and vendors were still relatively rare, but they have exploded in number since then. The current number and diversity of offerings make it difficult for managers to determine which might be the most useful for them, both for today and into the future. At Level One, IP managers primarily want a way to answer questions largely related to IP generation and its protection, and to increase IP awareness among managers. Since many tool providers claim that their product or service solves all corporate problems, Gathering companies at Level One have found it useful to review the list of questions following to prioritize their current and future needs, and to help determine what each tool provider can really deliver.

IP Portfolio Assessment

• Where is there overlap with competitors? With partners?
• What legal claims do our patents cover?
• How are invention disclosures reviewed and evaluated?
• Do we have current assignee information?
• Do we have the following information by technology categories:
  • What does it cost to prosecute and maintain our patents?
  • Where do we have gaps in the protection provided by our portfolio?
  • Can we group the portfolio by technology categories?
  • What will it cost to prosecute and maintain each patent?
  • What ...