According to PC World, Motorola investor Carl Icahn has urged the company to leverage its intellectual property portfolio in order to "enhance shareholder value."

Citing the recent sale of Nortel's portfolio, which netted more than $4 billion, Icahn said Motorola's substantially larger IP slate could boost profits and shareholder returns for the company. Motorola said it regularly reviews its various strategies and has experienced substantial financial benefits through its portfolio.

Licensing has become a major factor for companies producing mobile devices. As companies have more and more success with their products, using the same technology and paying a fee to do so makes more sense for competitors than developing their own method.

According to PC World, Qualcomm is a prime example of a company leveraging its patents to boost revenue. The company's computer chipsets are used in the creation of several handsets and other computing devices, which draw major revenue for the company.

Beyond private companies, government organizations have attempted to allow businesses in their nations to profit from their intellectual property. The United States, China and India are among the countries attempting to rework their IP laws to help businesses.