Business model question

[Enforcer84]

My industrial knowledge is lacking.

Is there a business model based on getting patents filed?

I mean can you have a company that simply produces technological patents and then sells them to idustries for actual creation/development?

 

...did I just describe a think-tank?

[Robyn]

Re: Business model question

 

You want to use HERO to model a business model?

 

. . . interesting.

[Marketeer]

Re: Business model question

 

My industrial knowledge is lacking.

Is there a business model based on getting patents filed?

I mean can you have a company that simply produces technological patents and then sells them to idustries for actual creation/development?

 

...did I just describe a think-tank?

 

 

I am not sure if there is a defined, named business model for such, but I do not see why, conceptually, it would not be possible.

 

It sounds like a theoretical research firm--maybe if you made such a business operate in conjunction, or out of, a university, it would be even more plausible.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Business model question

 

My industrial knowledge is lacking.

Is there a business model based on getting patents filed?

I mean can you have a company that simply produces technological patents and then sells them to idustries for actual creation/development?

 

...did I just describe a think-tank?

 

 

I'm sure there are individuals who sell ideas, but I dunno about major companies. Companies DO frequently license out production rights, like with pharmacueticals and such IIRC. The company interested in making item X pays the patent holder a certain amount, makes it and sells to some third party.

 

 

Some possibly useful bits:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_holding_company

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent_pool

[freakboy6117]

Re: Business model question

 

The ral trick islitiogation you get a patent filed on something ideally obvious that a bunch of other companies have already done but not bothered to patent and then sue them ideally they settle out of court for a big hunk of change.

 

this is very popular in software patents as prior art is hard to prove and less often harder to establish than in mechanical patents.

 

on a super hero world imagine getting patents based on super tech and then suing anyone who takes advantage of the technology you could have a team of scientists who watch superhero battles (especially when the verbose gadgeteer gives a technobable explanation of how they defeated the foe)analysis the basis of the technology for devices used and then try to patent it.

 

if the real inventor then say uses his kelvorite focused blaster as the ignition core of a range of fusion plants you can sue for a cut of the profits.

[Theron]

Re: Business model question

 

The big problem with physical process based patents is that you tend to have to have the hardware to do the proof of concept. Which means, generally, such patents either originate from industry-funded research outfits, or from within a company seeking a new application on existing tech they already own and operate. Either way, there's a lot of support costs involved.

 

Of course, in a superheroic world, anythings possible. After all, they're only Character Points.

[gojira]

Re: Business model question

 

My industrial knowledge is lacking.

Is there a business model based on getting patents filed?

 

Yes.

 

I mean can you have a company that simply produces technological patents and then sells them to idustries for actual creation/development?

 

Yes. But in my opinion it's more usual to sue the bleep out of people to get money when they violate your patent. For example, the guys who sued Blackberry over a petent violation that was basically "using email" were a patent holding company that made no products. They just file or buy patents, then sue.

 

...did I just describe a think-tank?

 

No, it's called something else. Google or Wikipedia for it, I'm sure it's out there.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Business model question

 

Okay, well I'm going to avoid the Business Bastard routine.

 

How did Reed Richards make his money?

I know Stark actually develops and sells the products, but Reed never really produces anything that would be mass produced. (my new line of ultimate "Bad Breath" nullifiers!)

 

My Tomorrow Legion consists of a group of geniuses playing superheroes.

 

they have a:

Gravitic Engineer who's developed a) Anti Gravity Flight and a personal Atmosphere field and c) gravity enhanced Strength the first two he could sell to NASA or similar.

 

Psionic Engineer who's developed a) psychic circuits using crystalline circuts, and a telepathic control system that boosts agility and reaction time. The major use for this is actually using implants to control prosthetic limbs in a more natural fashion.

 

An optics specialist that has developed personal holographic interfaces, used for communication and can even be used as targeting devices

 

Two Special effects wizards who've developed near lifelike animatronics, and a number of efficient special effects devices. (though with the advent of CG their stuff is probably antiquated)

 

A biologist whos developed a genetic enhancement treatment that vastly increases physical health and lifespan (at this point, it's not for sale)

as well as a way to power weapons and powered armor using the wearer's own endurance and recovery

 

And this is before the find the cache of alien technology!

 

 

so some of their discoveries have been patented and sold to industries of their choosing, or the government. They want to use a parent company to run all oft his.

[Markdoc]

Re: Business model question

 

Short version.

 

Yes, there are companies that make a living totally off patents.

 

There are three kinds:

 

1) the bad kind. They trawl the patent databases and technological literature looking for things that could be patented but aren't and patent them, then try to extort money from people using that tech. If it goes to court, they usually lose, but they make a living since it's often cheaper to just buy them off rather than take the risk of losing in court. A similar and more successful approach is to find patents that aren't being enforced, or which have a broader use than intended, buy the rights cheaply and then extort money as per the first approach. This is not just software patents - the same approach is common in biotech and medicine. These companies are generally referred to as bottom-feeders or bastards, although they usually bill themselves as tech companies. You could use them at some point as adversaries

 

2) The good kind. There are small tech companies that never actually develop and sell products: they do basic, cutting-edge research and then sell the ideas at an early stage to a larger company that will try to turn them into patentable products: I used to work for such a place. Sounds like it'd fit your group. These are called tech.s or sometimes incubators, if you have a bunch of similar companies working together.

 

3) The meh kind. There are companies who make their living just minding other people's patents - they will file patents, do due diligence, manage the income from patents, let you know about possible infringement by other people, fight in court if necessary, etc. This is usually the specialised arm of a big legal company, but there are some tech management companies that just do this.

 

cheers, Mark

[freakboy6117]

Re: Business model question

 

hmm i guess you'd have a basic office staff for the Tomorrow Foundation , Next Day inc or what ever you want to call it.

 

office manager

researchers to determine if a patent is possible and look for infringements.

patent lawyers to do the legal stuff getting The patent application in defend the patents etc

contract lawyer to negotiate licensing and

accountant to make sure bills are paid, taxes filed etc

sundry secretaries, paralegals and clerks

 

oh and as for your SFX guys there is certainly a demand for animatronics still as this japanese product shows

[gojira]

Re: Business model question

 

Also, when I worked at HP, we were encouraged to file "defensive" patents. HP doesn't make it's income from just patents, but it often gets sued by other companies over patent issues. If HP can whip out a patent of their own that the other company may violate, then HP can often get much better terms than if they just had to negotiate for money.

 

Someone who is a smart as Dr. Richards, I'd expect to have a lot of unused patents laying around, which might be used defensively if Dr. R gets sued.

 

Hey, what if Dr. Destroyer comes after your players for patents infringements? Lawyers could be worse than warbots. Hmmm, lawyerbots.... On second thought, some sort of army of cybernetic Steve Long clones is too horrible. Don't do this to your players.

[jkwleisemann]

Re: Business model question

 

we were encouraged to file "defensive" patents.

 

I just had this terrifying thought.

 

Lawman. A lawyer with a specialization in patent and IP law. No real powers - just a 25- PS: Intellectual Property Lawyer roll and a suitable number of Lawninjas at his disposal.

 

Credited with single-handedly bringing one of Doctor Destroyer's plans to a halt - the bad Doctor launched a mind control satellite, and Lawman buried him under so much red tape (in the form of legal injunctions and lawsuits) for infringing on the mind-control-ray patents filed by Mindgame in the late 80's.

 

Rumor has it that Doctor D had to conquer a small third world nation and loot its treasuries just to pay the legal fees.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Business model question

 

Short version.

 

Yes, there are companies that make a living totally off patents.

 

There are three kinds:

 

2) The good kind. There are small tech companies that never actually develop and sell products: they do basic, cutting-edge research and then sell the ideas at an early stage to a larger company that will try to turn them into patentable products: I used to work for such a place. Sounds like it'd fit your group. These are called tech.s or sometimes incubators, if you have a bunch of similar companies working together.

 

cheers, Mark

I'm going for the "Good" kind.

 

Their Superteam staff consists of:

 

Team Doctor (Actually Shinobi, the "ninja")

Team Vehicle specialist (One time supervillain with a mecha bent, a little crazy but happy to be on the good guys team and occasionally fills in as pilot. Secretly plotting to have the two team vehicles combine into a mecha. Because that would kick a$$)

Team Computer Expert: College Grad looking to develop his own heroic identity. Probablywill

Team Grounds Keeper: Department of Defense "infiltrator" but he's come clean and is kept around anyway...sort of morphed into "Liason" but still likes to maintain compound grounds.

Head of Security: Shinobi's older brother Now fights with the team as "Ronin".

Team Mascot: Small pug-dog like alien with psionic powers.

 

The Future Technologies Corporation has the following:

Board of Directors: The Team

CEO: Tim Bruce (Tim is effctively CFO, CIO, and COO as well)

Administrative Assistant: Rupert Follier

Head of Legal Department: Austen "No, Not that Guy" Powers

Head of Accounting: Lillian "Yeah, I'm the Boss's Sister, you got a problem with that?" Bruce