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Cyptocurrency innovation has made virtually everything in the digital world susceptible to tokenization, and intellectual property is no exception to the trend thanks to non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

NFTs – intangible assets that give their holder a unique certificate of authenticity – are gaining ground in the patent market through the optimization of several critical operations.

The music, art and even video game industries have all witnessed the potential of NFTs to safeguard value; now, intellectual property is being protected in this way also in the field of corporate patents.

The tokenization of these patents is carried out through the blockchain, which allows the parties to guarantee the traceability of the operation, as well as its centralization in one place.

“The current process requires lawyers, contracts, and a lot of bureaucracy, now, using NFTs, the entire model is simplified and all the information is in one place: the blockchain,” she told Bloomberg Línea Lavinia Meliti, who directs the strategy. and execution of IPwe’s business initiatives, a global platform for patent transactions.

Meliti indicates that NFTs offer a great opportunity if we take into account that “worldwide patent transactions, which are mostly licenses and acquisitions, are US$ 180 billion per year, which is a small percentage”.

“What if it gets to 10% or more? (This is) good for innovators, owners, partners, for finance, for service providers, and for society,” she said.

Lavinia Meliti indicated that she likes to refer to NFTs “as digital repositories that store all the information relevant to a patent in a single secure set – and this is happening for the first time in the history of patents.”

Instead of “having to go to multiple places where information about a patent can be stored, everything will exist in one place and the holder will control what can and cannot be seen and by whom”.

She says that “the concept of patents has existed for thousands of years, and the legal frameworks that support them have been in existence since the 15th century. Today, there are around 20 million patents worldwide that are granted by approximately 200 independent national patent offices that exist in each country that grants the patents.”

Incidentally, IPwe has partnered with tech giant IBM to tokenize patents in different areas such as electric vehicles or (soon) the metaverse – the so-called next internet age.

The company facilitates these transactions in Smart Pools, which are a type of patent bank in which patent holders offer their NFT-based licenses to consortium members – many are SMEs – to drive innovation at all scales.

Lavinia Meliti told Bloomberg Línea that she will launch a Smart Pool focused on blockchain patents, “allowing their holders, large companies, to share them with other companies”.

“We will have several of the largest blockchain patent holders in the world, located in Asia, Europe and North America,” said the executive, who did not reveal the names of the large corporations, but informed the interest of several participants in Latin America, as these see potential in markets such as Colombia and Mexico.

As for the participants, she commented that the profiles are divided between the holders of these patents and the members, who pay a kind of subscription to be able to use these technologies.

Small and medium-sized companies with revenues of less than US$1 million per year will have free access to all available patent portfolios.

Patent holders contribute their patents to Smart Pools, where they are then tokenized through NFTs. “If the patent holder decides to license it, license tokens linked to the original NFT will be created,” explains Meliti.

Thus, the tokenized patent license is transferred to the licensee for as long as it is in effect. And thanks to smart contracts, licensees get reminders when those licenses are about to expire.

“The smart contract is integrated into the NFT with standardized terms associated with each patent. The patent holder sets out the terms of their contract, what is public and what is not,” she adds.

According to the expert, “the capital, the parties to the transaction have the transparency, standardization of information and the ease of interaction they need”.

Source: Bloomberg Linea

BPTO was considered the sixth most innovative IP institute in the world in 2021, according to an annual ranking released by the World Trademark Review (WTR), which analyzed 60 national or regional IP institutions.

The ranking was led by the IP institutes of the European Union and South Korea. The third position was Singapore, followed by the United Kingdom and Mexico. In sixth place, alongside the BPTO, were the IP institutions of Australia and Chile.

In relation to Brazil, the publication highlighted that the BPTO had significant growth in the ranking in recent years, leaving 41st place in 2018 and rising about 20 positions in 2021. WTR highlighted the Institute’s actions to reduce the backlog, modernize its systems electronics, as well as stimulate innovation and economic development through IP assets.

Source: BPTO

Use of fingerprints on smartphone screens has been used for a long time. The technology serves well and has stagnated in recent years. However, Xiaomi intends to change that and has now filed a patent application for a fingerprint sensor that can be used across the entire screen of the device.

Xiaomi patents fingerprint recognition technology anywhere on the screen

According to the latest data from the Chinese Patent Office, the company has obtained a patent for fingerprint scanning technology. The technology allows you to use the scanner more freely without having to place your finger on a certain point on the screen.

In the patent, Xiaomi described the operation of a network of integrated infrared LED elements located between an AMOLED display and a capacitive touch layer. The network of “receivers” will be under the display. These elements will form the basic building blocks of the new scanner, which will serve the entire screen of the device.

Xiaomi’s patented fingerprint sensor

When the user touches the screen with their finger, the touch layer records the touch, its location, and the shape of the fingerprint, after which the LED elements begin to emit infrared light in the desired area. In this case, elements elsewhere on the screen will remain inactive.

Infrared light is then reflected off the fingertip and projected onto the receivers. The system will process the data to obtain a “card” of the fingerprint and the smartphone will compare it with the sample saved in memory. Once the fingerprint is identified, the user can unlock the device by touching any part of the screen.

Xiaomi’s patent is a major advance in fingerprint recognition and a smartphone, which currently has small screen spaces for this recognition. In addition, users increasingly seek convenience, and this patent brings that too.

In August, Huawei patented its technology for a similar purpose in several markets, including China, Europe, USA, Japan, Korea, and India, but the development did not find commercial use, which, according to the site, must have been due to US sanctions that seriously restrict the company’s technological capacity. As Xiaomi has not yet faced such sanctions, new scanners may be launched shortly.

Source: SempreUpdate

The Walt Disney Company obtained a patent for a device capable of producing virtual reality and augmented reality without the need for glasses, headsets, or digital devices. Virtual World Simulator had its name registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office on December 28 and should bring something unprecedented until then.

The patent suggests that Disney intends to raise the level of digital simulation to something unprecedented, far beyond virtual reality and augmented reality, two of the main production focuses of large technology companies. The Disney theme parks metaverse must connect digital, data, and physical elements in a “virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space,” according to the documentation.

Disney would be willing to create a virtual universe inspired by Disneyland that would allow the simulation of animated characters and theme park attractions in a virtualized, 3D, and realistic way. The technology would use three-dimensional images generated by multiple projectors capable of generating a high rate of images per second.

How does Virtual World Simulator work?

The premise of Virtual World Simulator would be the use of the SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technique, which tracks in real-time the user’s point of view and implements changes in the images, which gives a sensation similar to being in motion.

The 3D virtual effects would be projected onto real park locations and could bring animated characters to life or simulate animated objects, props, and artwork. If all goes well, the experience of visiting Disneyland and Walt Disney World parks could deliver an even more enchanting and unique experience.

According to Founders Legal’s technical and patent technology consultant, John DeStefano, the entertainment giant would come out ahead of competitors by bringing simulations independent of the phone screen or headphones. “Disney has developed a system that is almost similar to a movie projector to project onto a real surface what humans see on a screen,” he explained in an interview with SiliconValley.

There’s still no time frame for Disney to deploy the Virtual World Simulator technology, but it likely won’t take that long, as the patent is often one of the last processes performed in the development of a product.

Source: CanalTech

A study by researchers at the Augusta University School of Medicine, Georgia, USA, found that cannabidiol (CBD), one of the active ingredients in marijuana, was able to reduce, in mice, the size of a highly aggressive brain tumor and lethal. After inhaling the compound, the animals began to produce fewer substances that favor the growth of glioblastoma.

To simulate brain cancer in mice, the researchers used modified human glioblastoma cells (adapted for animals), creating what is called “orthotopic glioblastoma”, the most realistic possible model for the tumor, produced artificially outside the human body.

After eight days, the disease was already active and aggressively in the animals’ brains. On the ninth day, the team of researchers started the treatment with daily doses of inhaled cannabidiol, while some animals received a placebo, to control the work. The experiment lasted seven days and the study was published in the specialized journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

Scientists observed a significant decrease in tumor size in imaging tests done in mice that inhaled cannabidiol, not seen in animals that ingested a placebo.

Currently, the treatment of glioblastoma-type brain cancer is surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, the results are usually not satisfactory, as this type of tumor is resistant to drugs.

The scientists’ idea is to use cannabidiol — if its beneficial effects are proven in further studies — in conjunction with the treatment already used in people diagnosed with glioblastoma.

Source: Cenarium Magazine

As reported by Bloomberg Law, a portal dedicated to legal news, Apple is facing a lawsuit from ImmerVision, a Canadian technology company specializing in image processing and wide-angle lenses, alleging that the giant would have incorporated one of its inventions into the cameras of devices ranging from the iPhone 11, 12 Mini, 13 Pro Max to the iPad 2021. The lawsuit was brought in October and, more recently, part of this equipment was included in the action.

The technology employed by Apple would violate a patent granted to the Canadian company in 2005. In this, the principle would have been broken with “objective lens structures that compress the center and edges of an image, while expanding an intermediate zone”.

Presumably, then, the ultra-angle sensor on Apple devices — whose 120-degree wide view is fixed by iOS — is supposed to be the problem at hand.

Through the lawsuit, ImmerVision seeks damages — in an amount not specified in the document — and an order to block future use of the invention. The official complaint was filed in Federal Court in the city of blocking the future use of his invention, according to the claim filed in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware. Apple has not yet officially commented on the matter.

A success among children, teenagers, and adults who are passionate about football, the sticker albums have become the target of hundreds of lawsuits in recent years. The reason? Players claim compensation for moral damages for appearing on the cards without prior authorization.

On the one hand, publishers claim that publications have historical and informative value. On the other hand, the sportsmen claim that their image generates profit without having endorsed the initiative and without receiving any percentage. And the fight is far from being pacified, as there are favorable and unfavorable decisions for both parties, depending on who judges.

At the São Paulo Court of Justice, only in November, at least 20 lawsuits related to this were ruled. The discussion is not new and processes like these have always existed, not only about print magazines but also video games. However, these processes have become more and more frequent from 2019 onwards.

Sometimes, players get damages – which usually range between U$ 881 and U$ 1,763. In others, compensation is denied. The result is divergent depending on the understanding of the collegiate responsible for judging the demand.

Source: Metrópoles

Last Tuesday, December 7th, Kaya Mind, a Brazilian consultancy specializing in the cannabis market, presented the newest study: “Cannabis and Sports”. The unprecedented survey sent first-hand to Cannabiz, indicates that the sports segment can generate business of more than US 162 million per year for medicines and herbal products. This amount, according to the company, would bring a collection of US 53 million in annual taxes for the public coffers.

Projections of this type in the world of cannabis are usually optimistic and take into account a series of factors that are not always confirmed, as they depend on regulation and acceptance by doctors, patients, and other consumers. Even so, the document points to yet another global trend and reinforces the potential of cannabis in an aspect still little explored in Brazil. In the rest of the world, the interest of athletes, amateurs and professionals, for the benefits of the plant, mainly its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects have been growing. The evidence accumulated in research and clinical experiences even led the always rigorous world anti-doping agency (WADA) to remove cannabidiol (CBD) from the list of prohibited substances during competitions. At the Tokyo Olympic Games, held this year as a result of the pandemic, therapeutic cannabis was already released to alleviate pain and speed up the recovery of competitors.

The Kaya Mind report, which was released and made available for free on December 7th, used official sources that were based on research and internal metrics from the consultancy. To project the market size, 24 relevant sports in Brazil were selected and the three profiles of athletes with the greatest potential to use cannabis medicinally. In addition, 15 sociocultural, economic, and physiological factors of each of the modalities were considered for the analysis, which considered a projection of average consumption per person, treatment period, and the average value of the milligram of oils with CBD available in Brazil.

With these data, Kaya Mind projects that the consumption of plant derivatives among athletes of different levels (professionals, amateurs, and casual) has the potential to move US 162.8 million per year in the country, of which US 53.7 million would be collected annually in the form of taxes.

Source: Veja

On December 1st, Anvisa published the eighth health authorization for a cannabis-based product.

It is an oral solution under the name Cannabidiol Verdemed 23.75 mg/mL.

The product can be sold in pharmacies and drugstores from a medical prescription through a type B prescription (blue).

The product is manufactured in Colombia.

At the end of 2019, Anvisa authorized the sale of cannabis-based products in pharmacies, provided that the substrate or the entire product is imported. Marijuana cultivation remains prohibited.

Source: O Antagonista

In recent days, Mastercard filed in Brazil a trademark application, which quotes cryptocurrencies in the specification of services.

The company processes payments in various ways on its network and held recently a closed press event to discuss the relationship with cryptocurrencies.

Along with Visa, Mastercard is one of the main flagship companies in the financial market.

At the end of last October, it is worth reminding that the company drew worldwide attention by claiming that it would process Bitcoin in its global payments network, which could reach millions of businesses. For this reason, it has a partnership with Bakkt.

What does Mastercard’s trademark application in Brazil mention about cryptocurrencies?

Mastercard International Incorporated has applied for its trademark registration in Brazil. The application was filed on October 27, and the application was recently published for opposition purposes within a 60-day term. Anyway, what draws attention to the request is that the company is willing to use its trademark in the Brazilian cryptocurrency market.

Among the services that Mastercard could provide are payments in cryptocurrencies, exchange (negotiation, purchase, and sale), and also the provision of financial information to the sector.

“cryptocurrency payment processing services; cryptocurrency exchange services with blockchain technology; providing financial information in the area of ​​cryptocurrency”.

It is worth reminding that Mastercard owns CipherTrace, a company that tracks cryptocurrencies, also acquired in 2021, which makes clear the giant’s plans for the sector.

In a recent conversation with the press, Walter Pimenta, Vice President of Mastercard in Latin America and the Caribbean, explained that the company already operates in the cryptocurrency sector in El Salvador, a country that made Bitcoin legal tender in recent months. In addition, he recalled that the company must support both cryptocurrencies, CBDCs, and private stable coins.

Mastercard movement happens days after Visa

It is worth reminding that Mastercard’s movement in Brazil is important to show that the company is already prepared to operate in the cryptocurrency sector, as well as its main competitor, Visa.

That’s because, on November 17, Visa also applied for registration to process cryptocurrency payments in the country, which is named as the largest Bitcoin market in Latin America.

In other words, the two main flags of the financial market arrive in the country, which may soon see solutions coming to trade, as is already done in other countries.

Source: LiveCoins