Small corporations are the leading forces in the development of new technologies, and patents are their most important assets. The role of patents in joint ventures, funding, marketing, and the strategic alliances that help small corporations grow and prosper is inestimable. Heines' book offers executives in small, rising corporations an in-depth, practical, useful comprehension of the patent system--the knowledge they need to understand, and work with, professional patent attorneys. With detailed examples and scenarios to illustrate legal principles, and with forms and advice to help develop a corporate patent strategy, the book provides critical information accessibly in a comprehensible manner and without dangerous, naive oversimplification. It will quickly prove useful to corporate decision makers and to academics teaching small business methods and management.

Among the book's special features is its focus on the perspective, interests, and special needs of small corporations, and its abundance of various hypothetical technology scenarios, illustrating the legal principles that Heines dissects and analyzes. Another special feature is the balance it strikes between thouroughness and clarity: it gives a lot of information but in a way that non-attorneys can easily understand. Heines explains and illustrates the principles of patent law and describes how to organize and implement an internal patent policy. He goes on to show how to accommodate patenting with ongoing research, how to maintain patent rights while working with outside vendors, how to distinguish between patenting and freedom-to-operate, and how to react and respond to the patents of competitors. Also addressed are the small corporation's need to control costs and ways to make patenting decisions in a manner that will provide maximum flexibility in deciding when and where to patent without relinquishing organizational control.

In a world where your intellectual property is your most valuable asset, patents are becoming an essential tool for achieving and maintaining a competitive edge. With billions of dollars at stake, companies are defending their patents vigorously; high-profile cases, such as Microsoft's $900 million patent dispute settlement with Sun Microsystems, and Medtronic's acquisition of a competitor's entire patent portfolio for $1.35 billion, are cases in point. While most companies will not operate at this level, the strategic management of patents, and the costs of enforcing and defending them, are becomining critical business functions. In this accessible and practical guide, Henry Heines shows readers how to apply "due diligence," a common concept in corporate finance and investing, to analyze the costs and benefits of patent management, and to navigate through the legal and technical maze. With dozens of examples from many industries, he walks readers through the various ways in which technological advances can be presented as patentable inventions and in which the patents of competitors can be confronted and evaluated. He also offers guidance in managing a portfolio of patents and inventions, regardless of whether they make it to market as products. A glossary of terms and listing of resources will make this book a handy reference for anyone involved in product development, corporate strategy, or intellectual property.