(144a) The Growth of Idea Ownership: Patent Infringement and Risk Management within the Chemical Process Industries

This past year has seen multimillion dollar and even billion dollar patent infringement damages leveled against chemical manufacturers and technology developers.  Although popular media coverage of patent issues tends to focus on the electronics industry, most lately focusing on the so called “smart phone wars” between major consumer electronics players, the risks of patent infringement for chemical manufacturing companies are just as large.  With significant revenue streams that provide attractive damage models to patent holders, chemical manufactures need to understand the competitive landscape of patent ownership and manage their technology accordingly.

This presentation provides a statistical look at patent filing treads within the chemical industry.  It continues with an exploration of patent risk management strategies and best practices.  In addition, the presentation highlights recent changes in US law that provides new tools for defending against third-party patent challenges.