Issued Patents on Blockchain Innovation

Research Overview

Author: Thomas M. Isaacson
Release Date: August 31, 2019

Abstract:

This project surveys patents issued globally in the blockchain space, compares them to the nature and volume of patents in the Internet space, and puts them into categories of innovation. The author walks through a careful analysis of the claims of issued patents, for companies to decide whether to avoid such patents or to design around their claims. He identifies deficiencies in the patent office review of prior art, which—when rectified—could render a patent invalid. Finally, he discusses strategic uses of patent offices and the federal court system in the defense of or dispute over an issued patent.

Related Content

Web 3 and the Music Industry

In this project, our research lead reviews what we learned from the music industry’s first wave of blockchain innovation and explores the opportunities in its second wave, including innovations such as non-fungible tokens and metaverse experiences. He looks at the barriers to realizing these opportunities, including risks such as the legal grey area around who holds the intellectual property rights to minting music-related NFTs. He includes excerpts of his in-depth interviews of Scott Cohen, former chief innovation officer, Warner Music Group; Sophie Goossens, partner, Reed Smith; Vaughn McKenzie-Landell, CEO and co-founder of JAAK; and Christof Straub, CEO and founder, Global Rockstar.

Read More

Digital Asset Revolution

In this white paper, “Digital Asset Revolution: The Rise of DeFi and the Reinvention of Financial Services,” Alex Tapscott explores the disruptive effects of decentralized finance (DeFi) applications on the nine functions that Wall Street currently performs. He also examines the creation and use of nine cryptoassets such as non-fungible tokens, stablecoins, DeFi index funds, synthetic securities, and central bank digital currencies. Finally, Alex discusses Web 3 innovations with Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions to such implementation challenges as scalability, interoperability, and ease of use. If bitcoin was the spark for the financial services revolution, then DeFi and digital assets are the accelerant. This is a must-read for leaders who want to understand how blockchain will transform every aspect of the global economy.

Read More
BRI
Subscribe