المستخلص: |
Big Data is increasingly being used to in the realm of Intellectual Property (IP) to allocate research funding, determine which inventions to patent, protect or litigate. It is becoming an important tool in valuing IP portfolios and acquisitions. The use of Big Data to drive innovation, protect IP and avoid litigation, however, is premised on the understanding of the IP system and the quality of the patents submitted by inventors and researchers. In recent formal and informal surveys done in the UK and US, the results show that there is a demonstrated lack of even a basic understanding of the IP system. In particular, university researchers and independent inventors run the risk of failing to protect their intellectual property or spend time and funding in the pursuit of already patented inventions. The growing use of big data in patent analysis is an opportunity for librarians to step up our efforts to provide training in the entire information lifecycle from invention to patent to big data analysis.
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