Deconstructing the Patent Bubble: An Exploration of Patent Monetization Entities from Sewing Machine Combination to Rockstar Bid Co.

Abstract

The question I address in this paper is whether or not the patent marketplace is developing in a sustainable way that rewards inventors and business people according to the aims of past and current patent policy. This paper addresses developments in the private patent marketplace from a historical perspective, and focuses on recent innovations in monetization models. The companies covered in this paper have all risen from the relative freedom under which the government has allowed them to operate, and their stories as well as their struggles explain the trends we see today and provide insight into where the patent marketplace is headed tomorrow.