intellectual property in the energy industry

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY in the ENERGY INDUSTRY

Shanna Sanders, Esq.

© 2015 Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C.

Energy Environment and Economy RPI

March 5, 2015

1. INNOVATE & PROTECT • Patent • Trademark • Copyright • Trade Secret

2. COMPETE & COMMERCIALIZE

• Sell Exclusively • License • Enforce • Defend

Intellectual Property Strategies


COPYRIGHTS

Copyright

©2014 Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. All Rights Reserved

What are the Requirements? • Original work of authorship, creative, non-functional • Fixed in a tangible medium of expression (paper or electronic)

What is Protectable?

• Expression only is protected, not the ideas • Websites, drawings, literature, plays, surgical techniques, photos,

sculpture, architecture, songs, computer software, rugs, books, journal articles

Who Owns it and When?

• Exists the moment the work is created • Immediately becomes property of the author who created the work • Works “Made for Hire” - employer is considered author and owner

How Long is it Protected?

• Life of author + 70 years • 95 years from publication (work for hire)


TRADEMARKS

What is a Trademark? • A trademark is a word, symbol, or phrase, used to identify a particular manufacturer or seller's products and distinguish them from the products of another.

• Serves two primary purposes: (1) Protects consumers from being misled (2) Protect the reputation of the trademark owner



• Formula, device, compilation of information

• Competitive advantage in business • Has increased ECONOMIC VALUE

if kept confidential

• Must be kept secret (business must take “reasonable” steps & actions to maintain secrecy)

• Term is Indefinite (e.g., Coca Cola & KFC)


PATENTS


PATENTS •Protects new inventions or ideas •Requirements for Patentability:

•Useful •Novel/New •Non-Obvious (To a “Person of Skill in the Art”)

•What can be patented?

•Processes •Articles of Manufacture •Machines •Compositions of Matter •And Improvements to All

What are your Patent Rights?


• The right to EXCLUDE others from making, using or selling an invention

• Limited monopoly granted by the Federal government

• In exchange for full disclosure of the invention to the public

How Long Does a Patent Last? • Utility Patent: 20 years from the Date of Filing

• Design Patent: 14 years from the Date of Issue

• Title • List Of Inventors • Abstract • Specification (Technical & Disclosure)

• Background Of The Invention • Field Of The Invention • Description Of The State Of The Art

• Summary Of The Invention • Brief Description Of The Drawings • Detailed Description Of Invention

• Claims (Legal)

Contents of a Patent Application

What is claimed is: 1. A photo-voltaic apparatus comprising: a photo-voltaic module having a plurality of photo-voltaic cells; and an inverter for converting a direct current output generated from said photo-voltaic cells into an alternating current and outputting the alternating current, said inverter being mounted on a surface opposite to the light receiving surface of said photo-voltaic module with a space between said opposite surface and said inverter to permit air flow in said space.

Inventions, embodied in patents, are a major driver of long-term regional economic performance, especially if the patents are of higher quality. In recent decades, patenting

is associated with higher productivity growth, lower unemployment rates, and the creation of more publicly-traded companies. The effect of patents on growth is roughly equal to that of having a highly educated workforce. A low-patenting metro area could gain $4,300 more per

worker over a decade’s time, if it became a high-patenting metro area

Patenting Prosperity: Invention and Economic Performance in the United States and its Metropolitan Areas Brookings Institution, February 1, 2013

Strengthen Patent Portfolios

• R&D • Open Market • Bankruptcy

Enforcement

• Offense • Enphase Energy v. SolarBridge

• Defense • Patent Aggregators

Tesla Strategy

IP TRENDS IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY


Clean Energy Patent Growth Index

(CEPGI)

Fuel Cells

Wind Power

Solar Power

Hybrid/Electric Vehicles

Tide/Ocean Wave Power

Biofuels / Biomass Power

Hydroelectric Power

Geothermal Power

Other Clean Energy

Technologies

Technologies in the CEPGI


0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000 20

02

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Clean Energy Patent Growth Index by Year 2002 - 2014


0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400 20

02

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

All Sectors Patents by Year 2002 - 2014

FUEL CELLS WIND

SOLAR HYBRID/ELECTRIC

TIDAL/WAVE BIO FUELS

HYDRO GEO

OTHER


0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400 20

02Q1

Q2

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2003

Q1

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2004

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2005

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2006

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2007

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2008

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2009

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2010

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2011Q1

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2012

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2013

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2014

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All Sectors Patents by Quarter 2002 - 2014

FUEL CELLS Wind

Solar HYBRID/ELECTRIC

TIDAL/WAVE BIO FUELS

Hydro Geo

Other


359

503

213

183

81

159

177

65

52

125

64

186

170

46

102

97

44

85

104

49

135

105

77

67

110

127

79

114

184

128

59

122

87

207

175

94

41

75

48

65

53

169

89

158

89

103

53

81

66

46

46

126

97

149

56

102

61

41

51

101

80

71

44

1

0 200 400 600 800 1000

General Motors Corp. / GM GTO, Inc.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. / Honda Giken Kogyo KK

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

General Electric Company

Samsung Companies

Ford Global Techs., LLC / Ford Motor Co.

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Mitsubishi Companies

Hyundai Motor Company

Panasonic Corporation f/k/a Matsushita Electric

Vestas Wind Systems A/S

Siemens AG / Siemens Power Generation

UTC Power Corporation/UTC Fuel Cells

Ballard Power Sys. Corp. / Ballard Power Sys. AG

Hitachi, Ltd.

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Wobben, Aloys (as owner of Enercon GmbH)

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

LG Companies

Sunpower Corp.

Plug Power Inc.

Daimler AG / Daimler Chrysler AG

Bloom Energy Corporation f/k/a Ion America

Top 25 Clean Energy Patent Assignees

2002-2014

2002-2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014


0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

General Motors

Honda Motor



Samsung Companies

Nissan Motor Co.



Panasonic Corporation f/k/a Matsushita Electric



Vestas Wind Systems

Siemens AG / Siemens Power Generation

Ballard Power Systems

Canon Kabushiki Kisha

Wobben, Aloys

Enercon Gmbh

Kabushiki Kaisha Hitachi Seisakusho DBA Hitachi

Delphi Technologies

Sanyo Electric

Plug Power

Daimler AG / Daimler Chrysler AG

E.I Du Pont De Nemours

Bloom Energy Corporation f/k/a Ion America

IDATech

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Sunpower Corp

Trademark Registrations and Applications from

Top Clean Energy Patent Assignees

Live Registrations

Pending Applications


149

126

102

101

97

80

71

61

56

51

0 50 100 150 200


GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.


Honda Motor Co., Ltd.


Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Ford Global Technologies, LLC


Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Top 10 Clean Energy Patent Assignees

2014


U.S. 47%

Japan 24%

Germany 8%

Korea 6%

Taiwan 3%

Denmark 2%

Canada 2% France

1% Great Britain

1%

Other 5%

Clean Energy Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


California 21%

Michigan 19%

New York 13%

Connecticut 4% Texas

4%

Massachusetts 4%

Illinois 3%

Ohio 3%

Florida 2%

Other 27%

Clean Energy Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


0

400

800

1200

1600

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Clean Energy Patents for Top Countries 2002-2014

U.S.

Japan

Germany

Korea

Taiwan

Denmark


0

100

200

300

400

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Clean Energy Patents for Top States 2002-2014

California

Michigan

New York

Connecticut

Texas

Massachusetts

Illinois


0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2002

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2003

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2004

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2005

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2006

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2009

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2010

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2011Q1

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2012

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2013

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2014

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Fuel Cell Patents by Quarter 2002 - 2014


299

344

141

73

113

131

177

166

104

112

94

57

102

34

104

69

78

115

32

99

83

144

76

37

128

52

110

69

31

89

58

101

60

42

0 300 600 900




Samsung Companies

Panasonic Corp. f/k/a Matsushita Electric



Ballard Power Systems Corp. / Ballard Power Systems AG


Plug Power Inc.

Top 10 Fuel Cell Energy Patent Assignees

2002-2014

2002-2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014


• Honda, Toyota to roll out fuel-cell cars

in 2015: Nikkei

299

344

141

73

113

131

177

166

104

112

94

57

102

34

104

69

78

115

32

99

83

144

76

37

128

52

110

69

31

89

58

101

60

42

0 300 600 900




Samsung Companies

Panasonic Corp. f/k/a Matsushita Electric



Ballard Power Systems Corp. / Ballard Power Systems AG


Plug Power Inc.

Top 10 Fuel Cell Energy Patent Assignees

2002-2014

2002-2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014


United States 42%

Japan 33%

Korea 9%

Germany 6%

Canada 2%

Taiwan 2%

France 2% Great Britain

1%

Other 3%

Fuel Cell Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


Michigan 33%

California 12%

Connecticut 10%

New York 8%

Massachusetts 4%

Texas 4%

Illinois 3%

Oregon 3%

New Jersey 2%

Other 20%

U.S. Fuel Cell Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


0

100

200

300

400

500

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Fuel Cell Patents by Top Countries 2002-2014

US

Japan

Korea

Germany

Canada


0

50

100

150

200

2002

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2003

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2004

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2011Q1

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2012

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2013

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2014

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Wind Patents by Quarter 2002 - 2014


119

95

57

23

152

59

20

154

65

44

52

20

66

47

41

54

22

36

80

64

30

0 100 200 300 400 500 600



Siemens Aktiengasellschaft

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Wobben, Aloys (as owner of Enercon GmbH)

Nordex Energy GmbH

Repower Systems AG

Gamesa

LM Glasfiber A/S

Hitachi, Ltd.

Top 10 Wind Energy Patent Assignees

2002-2014

2002-2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014


United States 45%

Germany 18%

Denmark 12%

Japan 8%

Spain 3%

Canada 2%

Taiwan 2%

China 1%

Other 9%

Wind Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


New York 40%

California 12%

Texas 5%

Massachusetts 4%

Florida 3%

Illinois 2%

Pennsylvania 3%

New Jersey 2%

Michigan 2%

Other 5%

U.S. Wind Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


0

80

160

240

320

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Wind Patents for Top Countries 2002-2014

US

Germany

Denmark

Japan

Spain


0

30

60

90

120

150

180

2002

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2003

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2004

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2005

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2006

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2007

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2008

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2009

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2010

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2011Q1

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2012

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2013

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2014

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Hybrid or Electric Vehicle Patents by Quarter 2002 - 2014


78

131

155

59

38

42

12

24

21

21

20

6

22

9

15

36

16

9

21

11

13

9

6

6

62

22

5

23

26

6

12

14

8

46

45

31

39

35

10

17

17

9

5

44

50

35

32

56

16

29

8

16

10

0 100 200 300




General Motors Corp. / GM Global Tech. Ops.



Kia Motors Corp.


Aisin Companies

Denso Corp.

Top 10 Hybrid/Electric Vehicle

Patent Assignees 2002-2014

2002-2009 2010

2011 2012

2013 2014


United States 40%

Japan 40%

Korea 9%

Germany 5%

France 1% France

1% Taiwan

1% Other 3%

Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


Michigan 56%

California 14%

New York 5%

Ohio 3%

Illinois 3%

Florida 2%

Wash. D.C. 1%

Other 16%

U.S. HEV Patents Geographic Distribution

2002-2014


0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Patents by Top Countries 2002-2014

US

Japan

Korea

Germany

China

France

Taiwan


0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2002

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2003

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2004

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2005

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2006

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2008

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2009

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2010

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2011Q1

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2012

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2013

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2014

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Solar Patents by Quarter 2002 - 2014


15

7

93

38

30

5

15

12

7

11

3

9

4

6

15

6

8

13

13

4

7

6

13

11

5

19

19

24

10

13

9

24

15

11

28

31

18

9

16

8

6

9

17

34

37

29

8

34

13

5

12

33

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Sunpower Corp.

Samsung Companies

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha

LG Companies

The Boeing Company

Applied Materials, Inc.


International Business Machines Corporation

Top 10 Solar Energy

Patent Assignees 2002-2014

2002-2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014


37

34

34

33

29

14

13

12

10

10

0 10 20 30 40 50

Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.

SunPower Corporation

LG Electronics Inc.

International Business Machines Corporation

E I du Pont de Nemours and Company

First Solar, Inc.

The Boeing Company


Tigo Energy, Inc.


Top 10 Solar Patent Assignees

2014


United States 51%

Japan 12%

Korea 9%

Taiwan 6%

Germany 6%

China 3%

France 2%

Other 11%

Solar Patents World Geographic Distribution

2014


California 38%

New York 10%

Delaware 5%

Massachusetts 4%

Pennsylvania 4%

Colorado 4%

Texas 4%

Other 31%

U.S. Solar Patents Geographic Distribution

2014


0

50

100

150

200

250

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Solar Patents for Top States and Countries 2002-2014

California

Japan

Taiwan

Korea

Germany

New York

Massachusetts

Delaware

Illinois



0

100

200

300

400

500

600 20

02

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Solar Thermal vs. Photovoltaic by Year 2002 - 2011

Photovoltaic

Thermal


Any Questions?

Shanna Sanders, Esq.

Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. Intellectual Property Law

[email protected]

www.hrfmlaw.com


intellectual property in the energy industry

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