Build, License, and Litigate - A Game of Patent Strategy

摘要

A patent strategy game includes a plurality of industrial sector spaces defined by one or more technology sector spaces comprising one or two industrial sector spaces. A plurality of product markers are placed on technology spaces during play of the game. Intellectual property markers obtained on predetermined conditions are placed on the technology spaces to create intellectual property rights on the technology spaces. A resolution mechanism is provided for resolving intellectual property right disputes between players arising from a movement of product markers into a technology space having intellectual property rights of another player. The player at the end of the game whose market value from all product markers and intellectual property markers on the game board is the greatest is the winner. The methods of the disclosure may be implemented as a game board or as a patent game over a network to a remote subscriber computer.

主权项

1. A method for a game of patents comprising the steps of:
providing a patent game application on a game board, the patent game application configuring the game board to define one or more industrial sector spaces comprising one or more technology spaces defining a world economy and to define a plurality of market gateways, each market gateway providing a link between at least two industrial sector spaces; receiving game rules at a first gamer, the first gamer further storing first gamer preferences for strategies for applying the game rules, wherein the first gamer: filters the game rules by comparing the game rules to the first gamer strategy preferences; generate a product marker move from the filtered game rules that contains a destination location on the game board that is either (i) a location on a technology space on the game board for placement of an initial set of product markers, (ii) a change in location from a first one or more technology space to an adjacent second technology space location on the game board for movement of one or more product markers already on the first one or more technology space on the game board to the adjacent second technology space location on the game board, or (iii) a change in location from a first one or more technology space to a second technology space location on the game board connected to the first one or more technology space by a gateway for movement of one or more product markers already on the first one or more technology space on the game board to the second technology space location on the game board across the gateway connecting the first and second technology space; transmit the generated product marker move to a product marker associated with the first gamer; wherein the generated product move configures the product marker to move on a predetermined path along the game board to the destination location of either (i) the location on a technology space on the game board for placement of an initial set of product markers, (ii) the change in location from the first one or more technology space to the adjacent second technology space location on the game board for movement of one or more product markers already on the first one or more technology space on the game board to the adjacent second technology space location on the game board, or (iii) the change in location from the first one or more technology space to the second technology space location on the game board connected to the first one or more technology space by a gateway for movement of one or more product markers already on the first one or more technology space on the game board to the second technology space location on the game board across the gateway connecting the first and second technology space; wherein, the generated product move enables a dispute resolution between the first gamer and a second gamer concerning rights of the second gamer in the destination location of the first gamer when the destination location of the first gamer contains a product marker of the second gamer; and wherein, the first gamer and the second gamer collect, aggregate, and correlate a database of IP assets in an IP Asset Tracking Card for use in the dispute resolution.