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Nanotechnology Innovation and the Patent Thicket: Which IP Policies Promote Growth?
Volume 1, Issue 3
Authors:
Ted Sabety, Sabety & Associates, PLLC
Abstract:
Nanotechnology has attracted a significant amount of patenting activity in the past several years. Many commentators fear that a “patent thicket” has formed that will impede innovation and commercialization of nanotechnology – thereby defeating the goal of replicating the rapid economic growth of the information technology industry. In this article, patent lawyer Ted Sabety compares nanotechnologyÂ’s current intellectual property and funding policy context with that of early information technology and radio. He argues that nanotechnology now occupies a situation more like that of radio than early information technology – possibly resulting in expensive patent litigation battles similar to those that occurred in the radio industry during the early 20th century. In comparison, early information technology patents were widely licensed non-exclusively under anti-trust decrees or the technology itself was not considered patentable or copyrightable subject matter. Sabety concludes with policy suggestions for public nanotechnology funding agencies that can position publicly funded patents in nanotechnology that are foundational in a position similar to the position of seminal information technology innovations.
Full Text (PDF)
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