Not too long ago, independent inventor Josh Malone finally received a settlement for willful infringement of his patents. He won in court and at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and from what I’ve read, I know it was a long, hard fight, and the cost to litigate was in the tens of millions of dollars. But, he did it, and his product Bunch O Balloons continues to be a number-one hit summer toy. Licensing his invention to one of the fastest growing toy companies in the world (ZURU) clearly had its advantages for Malone. But what about the rest of us independent inventors? For the last decade or so, the patent system has not been in favor of the independent inventor. But has it ever been? I don’t think so.
Recent Posts
- IP as a Force for Good: A Conversation with WIPO Director General Daren Tang
- Stewart Defends Hands-On Approach as Squires Confirmation Looms
- Former USPTO Solicitor Urges Squires Confirmation, Accuses Acting Director of Overreach
- Other Barks & Bites for Friday, September 12: Novartis Loses Challenge to IRA Drug Price Negotiation Program; Lutnick Wants a Share of University IP Licensing; and EUIPO Announces First Copyright Conference
- Government Taking a Cut of University Royalties Would Threaten Bayh-Dole’s ROI