Even after U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh ordered Samsung to pay Apple approximately $1 billion in damages this past August, industry insiders insisted that there would be several more chapters in the pair's infamous infringement dispute. However, now that Koh has dismissed a number of intervening motions, the smartphone patent wars may be at least one step closer to their conclusion.

In the Association of University Technology Managers annual survey of patent licensing activity, analysts once again attempted to quantify the economic impact of member institution innovation. In this year's edition, however, several new questions provided researchers with novel insights.

Earlier this week, the Authors Guild celebrated its 100th anniversary in coordination with the Copyright Matters lecture series hosted by the U.S. Copyright Office. The event commemorated a number of important achievements, but conversation inevitably shifted to how the professional organization can survive and thrive in the digital era.

Consumer electronics have always been a big draw during the holiday shopping season, and the deep discounts offered on Black Friday and Cyber Monday have only extended this trend. But as stores compete and consumers delight, few may be aware of the foundational role patent licensing strategies play in this seasonal phenomenon.

The U.S. federal government invests approximately $147 billion in research and development each year, with nearly $90 billion allocated to institutions of higher learning. But according to Darrell West, director of governance studies for the Brookings Institute, this funding generates only a "very small" return on investment when weighed in terms of patent licensing fees.

Hostess, the soon-to-be-defunct maker of Wonder Bread, Twinkies and dozens of other baked good varieties, has received court approval to beginning selling off its assets and eliminating approximately 18,000 jobs. While this news came as some surprise to customers, according to the New York Times, it seems likely that several beloved brands under the Hostess umbrella could make a market return as the company's intellectual property portfolio is divided and distributed among eager bidders.

The rapid rate of digitization observed within the past decade has introduced several novel questions for copyright owners and attorneys, affecting everything from the royalty management terms signed by musical artists to library lending policies. As media producers, consumers and regulators across the United States struggle to interpret and respond to these developments, European lawmakers seem to be building a path to progress.

Swiss telecommunications equipment giant Ericsson has filed suit against leading mobile device manufacturer Samsung, alleging 24 separate instances of hardware and software patent infringement. Ericsson executives labeled it an action of "last resort," in an interview with The New York Times, suggesting that licensing negotiations regarding wireless industry-standard patents had reached an impasse.

Universities across the United States have seen patent licensing revenue climb in recent years as both school officials and private firms take a greater interest in commercializing classroom innovation. However, these numbers hold discouraging news for a few universities, underscoring the diligence required to craft a patent strategy that is both lucrative and sustainable.

When telecommunications and intellectual property management mix together in industry headlines, the theme does not always have to be two firms locked in contentious litigation. Case in point, French phone equipment manufacturer Alcatel-Lucent has independently decided to reassess the contents of its portfolio in pursuit of a new revenue generation strategy.