Intellectual property trading exchange

Abstract

A computerized intellectual property trading exchange is disclosed for facilitating the trading of license contracts relating to intellectual property rights. The exchange includes at least one intellectual property license contract relating to intellectual property rights and a computer-accessible forum configured to allow a plurality of participants to trade the license contract. The plurality of participants includes at least one seller, which may be the owner, having the license contract and desiring to trade the license contract. The plurality of participants also includes at least one buyer desiring to obtain the license contract. The buyer may be an investor, speculator, market maker, or arbitrageur, who purchases the license contract to achieve appreciation. The buyer also may be a licensee, who purchases the license contract to practice the intellectual property rights.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method for operating an exchange for the trading of intellectual property rights through the exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing in a computerized storage device in communication with a microprocessor information describing at least one intellectual property portfolio;   storing in the computerized storage device information describing a listing on the exchange of the unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio, the listing including initial pricing information relating to the unitized license rights;   storing in the computerized storage device information describing a change in the pricing information relating to the unitized license rights listed on the exchange; and   processing in the microprocessor changes in the pricing information relating to the unitized license rights listed on the exchange to track such price changes.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of processing in the microprocessor at least one requirement of the exchange for determining whether to continue listing on the exchange the unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of storing in the computerized storage device information describing consumption of the unitized license rights listed on the exchange. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of processing in the microprocessor the information describing consumption of the unitized license rights listed on the exchange to generate a report of consumption. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of processing in the microprocessor at least one requirement of the exchange for determining the quantity of unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio to list on the exchange. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of processing in the microprocessor at least one requirement of the exchange for determining whether to list on the exchange additional unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon the demand of the intellectual property. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon the consumption of the unitized license rights initially listed on the exchange. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon fluctuation in the price relating to the unitized license rights initially listed on the exchange. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19  wherein the determination to list the unitized license rights is based upon a regression analysis of the relatedness of at least two members of the intellectual property portfolio. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19  wherein the determination to list the unitized license rights is based upon a regression analysis of the quality of at least one member of the intellectual property portfolio. 
     
     
         29 . A computerized exchange for facilitating the trading of intellectual property rights comprising:
 a computerized storage device in communication with a microprocessor configured to store information describing at least one intellectual property portfolio;   information describing a listing on the exchange of the unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio stored on the computerized storage device, the listing including initial pricing information relating to the unitized license rights;   information describing a change in the pricing information relating to the unitized license rights listed on the exchange stored on the computerized storage device; and   the microprocessor configured to process changes in the pricing information relating to the unitized license rights listed on the exchange to track such price changes.   
     
     
         30 . The computerized exchange of  claim 29  wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process at least one requirement of the exchange for determining whether to continue listing on the exchange the unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio. 
     
     
         31 . The computerized exchange of  claim 29  further comprising information describing consumption of the unitized license rights listed on the exchange stored on the computerized exchange. 
     
     
         32 . The computerized exchange of  claim 31  wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process the information describing consumption of the unitized license rights listed on the exchange to generate a report of consumption. 
     
     
         33 . The computerized exchange of  claim 29  wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process at least one requirement of the exchange for determining the quantity of unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio to list on the exchange. 
     
     
         34 . The computerized exchange of  claim 29  wherein the microprocessor is further configured to process at least one requirement of the exchange for determining whether to list on the exchange additional unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property. 
     
     
         35 . The computerized exchange of  claim 34  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon the demand of the intellectual property. 
     
     
         36 . The computerized exchange of  claim 34  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon the consumption of the unitized license rights initially listed on the exchange. 
     
     
         37 . The computerized exchange of  claim 34  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon fluctuation in the price relating to the unitized license rights initially listed on the exchange. 
     
     
         38 . The computerized exchange of  claim 30  wherein the determination to list the unitized license rights is based upon a regression analysis of the relatedness of at least two members of the intellectual property portfolio. 
     
     
         39 . The computerized exchange of  claim 30  wherein the determination to list the unitized license rights is based upon a regression analysis of the quality of at least one member of the intellectual property portfolio. 
     
     
         40 . A computer-implemented method for operating a computer-accessible exchange for the trading of intellectual property rights through the exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing in a computerized storage device in communication with a microprocessor information describing at least one intellectual property portfolio;   storing in the computerized storage device information describing a listing on the exchange of the unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio;   storing in the computerized storage device information describing the tracking of sales volume relating to the unitized license rights listed on the exchange; and   processing in the microprocessor changes in the sales volume relating to the unitized license rights listed on the exchange to determine whether to list on the exchange additional unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property.   
     
     
         41 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 40  wherein the microprocessor determines whether to list on the exchange unitized license rights relating to the intellectual property portfolio. 
     
     
         42 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 41  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon the demand of the intellectual property. 
     
     
         43 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 41  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon the consumption of the unitized license rights initially listed on the exchange. 
     
     
         44 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 41  wherein the determination to list additional unitized license rights is based upon fluctuation in the price relating to the unitized license rights initially listed on the exchange.