Arbitration: A Cost-Effective Alternative for Litigating Patent Disputes

摘要

A company's patent portfolio is often its most important asset Protecting patent rights, how-ever, is invariably an expensive endeavor because when disputes arise, companies routinely turn to litigation for resolution. According to a recent New York Times article, the number of patent lawsuits filed has almost tripled in the last two decades.1 The smart-phone industry alone spent at least $20 billion on patent litigation and purchases in the last 2 years." And it is reported that last year, Apple and Google spent more on patent lawsuits and purchases than on research and development of new products.