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.

"A visionary innovator is measured by the extent of transformation that their innovation achieves in society and the economy," WIPO director Francis Gury explained. "Steve Jobs certainly had vision - his ambition to make digital technology simple and accessible gave rise to a new paradigm for the delivery of entertainment."

But at the heart of his success was a steady stream of detailed patent applications protecting his intellectual assets. The WIPO exhibit displays more than 300 individual documents from the Jobs IP portfolio, ranging from original product sketches to registered trademarks.

This event harkens back to a similar project put on by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last November, according to IP Watchdog, in which director David Kappos underscored the vital role of IP protection in the international marketplace.