Companies are facing tough decisions about applying for patents and launching infringement lawsuits amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fewer patent applications are expected to be filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office during the economic slowdown, and more applications could be abandoned, as businesses tighten their budgets.
Some IP watchers project thousands of fewer filings over the next couple years. Filing activities could fall 2% to 4% in 2020 and 2021, according to an estimate from Patexia, an intellectual property research company that has studied patent activity in past recessions.
The pandemic could also affect how existing patents are enforced. ...