In the months following the passing of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, industry observers have highlighted the visionary leader's career path as a shining example of American ingenuity and innovation. The World Intellectual Property Organization has provided more objective support for Jobs' reputation as a shrewd patent manager with a special exhibit showcasing his intellectual property filings.

Although a few lucky entrepreneurs are able to find success seemingly overnight, most understand that true innovations are more likely to come from a deliberate process of research and development than a sudden burst of insight. For those inventors who are convinced they could be on the cusp of an important breakthrough but need time to refine their creations, filing a provisional patent application may be a smart strategy.

With patent defense playing such a crucial role in the intellectual property arena, it can be hard to tell whether legal factors are shaping business decisions or company tactics are influencing litigation strategies. In fact, patenting decisions made in the past few decades have led to a reversal of the traditional cause-and-effect relationships many companies lend credence to.

Time, money and brand equity are just a few of the important resources that companies dedicate to the domain of trademark management. But while the natural inclination is to defend these hard-earned intellectual property rights at all costs, overzealous enforcement could do more harm than good.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's promotion of progress and innovation may soon serve it well in an unexpected manner, as a new competition encourages participants to develop new software that will make patent searches more efficient.

The latest analysis of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filings has revealed a significant uptick in the issuance of utility patents in recent months, with administrators setting an all-time single-week high, according to PatentlyO.

The Track One Prioritized Patent Examination Program represents one of the clearest signs of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's renewed commitment to efficiency. Approximately six months after the program's enactment, intellectual property experts are beginning to develop a more complete perspective on how this innovative approach is being applied in the field.

The implications of intellectual property management decisions are looming large in the pharmaceutical industry as a number of major manufacturers approach patent expiration dates on some of their most widely-distributed medications. According to analysts from Frost & Sullivan, the next several months will represent a critical period for smaller competitors as a rare market opportunity arises for producers of biosimilar drugs.

It would be hard to understate the importance of the America Invents Act, as it represents the first major overhaul of the U.S. patent system in several decades. Before the majority of the proposed changes go into effect next year, companies should be weighing several important considerations in the interim.

While some firms may be determined to secure intellectual property protections to gain the upper hand on their competitors, new findings from researchers at the University of Buffalo suggest that patent sharing may actually increase the odds of market success while spurring overall innovation.