The US patent system is having difficulty keeping up with developments in biotechnology, telecommunications, the Internet, and computer hardware and software. As distinctions between markets blur, and as businesses acquire other businesses that have the expertise they need to enter new markets, corporations are using patents both as a weapon to slow their competitors down and also as a shield to deter others from joining in. Patents can also increase balance sheets, create tax advantages, and justify higher valuations. They can help or hurt a business, depending on how they're managed<-->which is where this guide comes in. Miele is an attorney who specializes in technology law, contracts, and intellectual property matters. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.(booknews.com)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Ch. 1 Patents in Content - Incorporating Patents Into Your Business
Ch. 2 An Overview of Patents
Ch. 3 Strategies for Managing Patent Liability
Ch. 4 Strategies for Leveraging Value from R&D: Implementing a Patent Program
Ch. 5 Licensing, Selling, and Buying Patents
Ch. 6 Partnering, Strategic Alliances, and Deals
Ch. 7 Budgetary Issues
Ch. 8 Patent Litigation
Ch. 9 A Look Inside Patent Prosecution (Obtaining a Patent)
Ch. 10 More Prosecution Strategies
Ch. 11 Getting a Second Look by the Patent Office: Reexamination and Reissue
Ch. 12 Battle for the Same Rights: Interference Proceedings
Ch. 13 Patents Abroad
Ch. 14 The Risks of Patent Licensing and Enforcement
Ch. 15 Choosing a Patent Attorney
Ch. 16 The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Provides the Following Summary Description of the Provisions of the New Law

App. A: Sample Patents
App. B Data on Patent Activity: Issuances, Technology, and Litigations
App. C Preserving Trade Secret Rights and Avoiding Liability for Violating Those of Others
App. D: Select Sections of the Patent Laws
Index