Large and High-Tech Companies are frequently in an unusual situation. They have a portfolio of patents that are being managed and maintained. Managing this portfolio is a dynamic task. Many companies do a good job of managing the IP related to future licensing agreements; however, there are specific areas that are often de-emphasized:

• IP War Chest. Most high-tech companies accumulate a "Patent War Chest" to be used in licensing negotiations. While profitable, this strategy fails to exploit the revenue potential of a product protected by patent(s) early in the patent life-cycle. Strong, sustainable revenues can be anticipated when a product has a monopoly created by patent(s).
  
• Non-Core IP. Technology that has primary application in an industry that is outside of the company's traditional markets is often neglected.
  
• Enabling Technology Applicable to Other Industries. Many inventions have much wider application than in the company's core business. These "Enabling" technologies are candidates for commercialization in other industries.
  
• (Potential) Infringement Identification. Infringement should be identified, and even anticipated, where the market consequences are substantial enough to be proactive. That is, aggressive approach to get early licensing royalties from infringers is preferable to protracted, lengthy infringement negotiations (reactive).
  

Patent Assets are an excellent resource to draw on during a downturn or recession. They help to protect your market in a time when the strong will be gaining market share and the weak will be losing.

• Recession Pressures
• Rapid Product Imitation
• Global Competition
• Tie-in Promotions and Sales
• Cross-Industry Mergers & Acquisitions
• Rampant Price-Cutting
  

• Environmental Overview
• Market Assessment
• Best Commercialization Methods
• Barrier Patent Strategies
• Market Positioning
• Revenue Potential

• Protected and sustained revenue streams
• Patents become revenue generators in their early years
• Faster product time-to-market
• Reduced post product-entry costs by getting it right the first time
• Moving beyond the "build it and they will come" culture
• Patents reside in the product portfolio
• Competitors must "design around" your product to compete