Microsoft has been one of several big-name technology manufacturers engaging in protracted patent infringement cases in recent months. However, the software giant has decided to settle its dispute with Barnes & Noble and instead partner with the bookseller to establish a new subsidiary designed to deliver innovative digital publishing solutions.

Intellectual property protections have secured a path to success for many of the nation's most important innovations. But to keep this reputation intact, it is becoming apparent that patent and copyright systems will have to evolve in step with emerging digital business practices.

With April 26 marking the 12th occurrence of World Intellectual Property Day, leaders around the world have felt compelled to reflect upon history near and far and look for signs of what the future may hold.

Digital content producers may have secured an important victory following a German court ruling that has instructed Google to install a series of filters that will detect and prevent playback of copyright-infringing materials on its popular video-streaming platform, YouTube.

A copyright controversy was recently touched off in the Canadian higher education sector as university administrators seemed prepared to enter into an expensive new licensing deal with commercial publishers that could drive up the cost of student tuition.

When the current economic recession hit the United States in earnest in 2008, few states were impacted as hard as California, as unemployment spiked and countless public projects were left unfunded. The Golden State appears to be making steady progress in recent months, however, by revisiting its environmentally friendly roots and leveraging clean technology patents.

In 2010, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and U.K. Intellectual Property Office established a partnership intended to reduce the administrative burden of each through more determined collaboration. This week, the pair issued a joint report detailing the progress of the initiative to date.

Software pioneer Openwave Systems' most influential contribution to the technology community will almost certainly be its proprietary messaging systems that ultimately formed the basis of the mobile internet infrastructure that is utilized by today's smartphones and tablets. The company is now planning to sell its core line of business - messaging and mediation operations software - and focus on monetizing its previously accrued intellectual property portfolio.

When U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiners ultimately deem a patent application unsuitable for award, inventors must typically return to the drawing board to revise their submission. However, a new Supreme Court ruling has paved the way for applicants to supply federal judges with previously unsubmitted evidence when filing a motion to challenge the decision of the patent review board.

With big name companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and others currently trading and acquiring massive catalogues of intellectual property rights to be used as ammunition in the so-called patent wars, some are beginning to wonder if the original concept of IP protection has been lost on these industry leaders. In a move that is already raising eyebrows in the technology sector, Twitter has announced a new strategy that it believes will ensure its patents are leveraged for true innovation, as opposed to market exploitation, in the future.

As harsh economic realities converge with impressive technological innovations, the entrepreneurial spirit is as strong as ever with creative minds poised to deliver the next big breakthrough. For startups hoping to gain the attention of investors and possibly larger competitors, intellectual property management should follow closely behind product development on their organizational priority lists.

Ohio State University recently made a significant investment in student-led innovation by establishing a new $2 million facility for its Office of Technology Commercialization and Knowledge Transfer. The research center is meant to foster open collaboration between campus researchers and local entrepreneurs.

While some pundits have questioned the relevance and functionality of copyrights, trademarks and patents in a business community evolving at breakneck speed, the latest analysis from the U.S. Department of Commerce suggests that these intellectual property protections play an instrumental role in the nation's economic prosperity.

The advent of digital marketplaces and free online streaming services has been a point of contention for the music industry in recent years, with regulators struggling to ensure equity for content producers. In what is being described as a landmark settlement, the Recording Industry Association of America, the National Music Publishers' Association and the Digital Media Association recently came together with the Copyright Royalty Board to set forth new standards governing the revenue generated by innovative new music delivery models.

As the name would imply, trade secrets constitute a unique competitive advantage possessed by a company that must remain under wraps and diligently protected at all times. The problem is, many companies lack of full understanding of the trade secrets that could be, or already are, in their IP portfolios.

For most companies entering the patent system for the first time, the primary motivation is to gain protection for new inventions. After a prolonged application and approval period, some may be content to sit back and relax after accomplishing their initial goal. In reality, intellectual property strategies are only just beginning after patents and trademarks are awarded.

In an era of increasingly globalized commerce, some of the most significant issues and challenges facing the intellectual property community have international roots. As a result, it is crucial for regulators to come together across borders to promote common interests. With that idea in mind, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently formalized a permanent Patent Prosecution Highway with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office.

Business managers understand the variety of benefits associated with a deep and diversified intellectual property portfolio. But according to Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News columnist Tom Tuytschaevers, companies could well be sitting on more patentable inventions than they realize.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced the debut of its After Final Consideration Pilot program in alignment with its ongoing efforts to increase collaboration between the patent review board and applicants while streamlining the prosecution process.