Methods and systems for utilizing intellectual property assets and rights

Abstract

A method of utilizing an intellectual property grouping owned by a patent entity to generate income. The method includes acquiring rights in a first intellectual property asset from a seller on behalf of a patent investment entity, providing compensation to the seller in exchange for the first intellectual property asset, granting less than all of the rights in the first intellectual property asset to the seller of the intellectual property asset in exchange for a stream of payments, wherein granting less than all of the rights in the first intellectual property asset creates residual rights in the first intellectual property asset, and utilizing the residual rights in the first intellectual property asset to generate income for the patent investment entity.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A system for intellectual property asset liquidity generation through a patent investment entity, the system comprising:
 an acquisition engine to electronically communicate with a computer database, the acquisition engine configured to store in the computer database data relating to a first intellectual property asset acquired from a seller on behalf of the patent investment entity;   a tracking controller for controlling a division of rights in the first intellectual property asset into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising less than all of the rights in the first intellectual property asset that are being utilized by the seller, the second portion comprising the remaining rights reflecting residual rights in the first intellectual property asset that are not being utilized by the seller, the tracking controller configured to store in the computer database data for tracking the first portion and the second portion;   an output engine for maintaining control, on behalf of the seller, of the first portion of the first intellectual property asset; and   an equity distribution engine for granting ownership rights in the patent investment entity to one or more employees of the patent investment entity to incentivize the one or more employees to maximize a value of the second portion of the first intellectual property asset, wherein maximizing the value of the second portion comprises at least licensing the second portion to a licensing entity to generate liquidity of the first intellectual property asset for the patent investment entity, wherein the licensing entity is different than the patent investment entity and the seller;   wherein the system comprises one or more computer systems comprising a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the ownership rights in the patent investment entity includes options or shares of equity in the patent investment entity. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the ownership rights include at least one of a preferred membership interest, a common interest, and a lender interest. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more employees are incentivized to maximize the value of the second portion of the first intellectual property asset based on at least a portion of the generated liquidity of the first intellectual property asset contributing to an equity value associated with the ownership rights in the patent investment entity. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein maximizing the value of the second portion comprises identifying a suspected infringing use by an infringing entity and outputting a determined reasonable royalty from the infringing entity in exchange for a covenant not to sue. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein maintaining control, on behalf of the seller, of the first portion of the first intellectual property asset further comprises generating a grant back license, on behalf of the patent investment entity, of the first portion to the seller in exchange for a stream of payments. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the first portion of rights in the first intellectual property asset relate to a field of use, and wherein the grant back license licenses to the seller at least a portion of the first portion of rights in the field of use. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the grant back license entitles the seller to mitigate infringement related to the second portion of the first intellectual property asset. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the residual rights may include one or more residual portions delineated by a field of use, a term of use, or a geographic location of use. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the first intellectual property asset is acquired from the seller on behalf of the patent investment entity in exchange for an ownership interest in the patent investment entity. 
     
     
         35 . A computer-implemented method for intellectual property asset liquidity generation through a patent investment entity, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 under control of a hardware computing device configured with specific computer-executable instructions:
 electronically storing, in a computer database, data relating to a first intellectual property asset acquired from a seller on behalf of the patent investment entity; 
 controlling a division of rights in the first intellectual property asset into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion comprising less than all of the rights in the first intellectual property asset that are being utilized by the seller, the second portion comprising the remaining rights reflecting residual rights in the first intellectual property asset that are not being utilized by the seller; 
 electronically storing, in the computer database, data for tracking the first portion and the second portion; 
 maintaining control, on behalf of the seller, of the first portion of the first intellectual property asset; and 
 granting ownership rights in the patent investment entity to one or more employees of the patent investment entity to incentivize the one or more employees to maximize a value of the second portion of the first intellectual property asset, wherein maximizing the value of the second portion comprises at least licensing the second portion to a licensing entity to generate liquidity of the first intellectual property asset for the patent investment entity, wherein the licensing entity is different than the patent investment entity and the seller. 
   
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein the ownership rights in the patent investment entity includes options or shares of equity in the patent investment entity. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein the ownership rights include at least one of a preferred membership interest, a common interest, and a lender interest. 
     
     
         38 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein the one or more employees are incentivized to maximize the value of the second portion of the first intellectual property asset based on at least a portion of the generated liquidity of the first intellectual property asset contributing to an equity value associated with the ownership rights in the patent investment entity. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein maximizing the value of the second portion comprises identifying a suspected infringing use by an infringing entity and outputting a determined reasonable royalty from the infringing entity in exchange for a covenant not to sue. 
     
     
         40 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein maintaining control, on behalf of the seller, of the first portion of the first intellectual property asset further comprises generating a grant back license, on behalf of the patent investment entity, of the first portion to the seller in exchange for a stream of payments. 
     
     
         41 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 40 , wherein the first portion of rights in the first intellectual property asset relate to a field of use, and wherein the grant back license licenses to the seller at least a part of the first portion of rights in the field of use. 
     
     
         42 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 40 , wherein the grant back license entitles the seller to mitigate infringement related to the second portion of the first intellectual property asset. 
     
     
         43 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein the residual rights may include one or more residual portions delineated by a field of use, a term of use, or a geographic location of use. 
     
     
         44 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 35 , wherein the first intellectual property asset is acquired from the seller on behalf of the patent investment entity in exchange for an ownership interest in the patent investment entity.