"... a masterly synthesis ..."

"... covers the entire waterfront of intellectual property ..."

Acacia Technologies is laying claim to the innovations that move video and music through cyberspace. Could this tiny company be the next Internet powerhouse?

Acacia Technologies has a group of patents that it claims covers virtually every aspect of transferring digitally encoded media from a server to a customer.

The June 2004 Special Issue of the PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE addresses "Enabling Multimedia Security Technologies for Digital Rights Management."

The inherent digital nature of electronic information and media allows individuals to manipulate, duplicate, or access information often beyond the terms and conditions of the original intent in a given transaction. Digital rights management (DRM) addresses such violations of intellectual property laws and proffers solutions to to protect the interests of consumers.

Isamu Kaneko, a 33-year-old assistant professor at the prestigious University of Tokyo, was arrested on suspicion of developing and offering free downloads through his file-sharing software called Winny.

Since its creation more than 200 years ago, the US patent system has played an important role in stimulating technological innovation by providing legal protection to inventions of every description and by disseminating useful technical information about them. With the growing importance of technology to the nation's well-being, patents are playing an even more prominent role in the economy. There are many indications that firms of all sizes as well as universities and public institutions are ascribing greater value to patents and are willing to pay higher costs to acquire, exercise, and defend them.

Continuing high rates of innovation suggest that the patent system is working well and does not require fundamental changes. We generally agree with that conclusion, but it is clear that both economic and legal changes are putting new strains on the system.

In the past few weeks there have been some mixed developments in the recording industry's battle against illegal file sharing.

This isn't just a legal battle, of course. It's a battle of information and ideas.

As long as the recording industry lives and dies by the blockbuster, music listeners will be looking for ways to see deeper into the music catalog.

You don't own your name. The world is running out of names. Rules are up for grabs.

"It's a kangaroo court. They seem to change the rules on the fly."

Drug companies spend millions on market research to make sure their names are both serious and sexy.

Occasionally, desperation can lead to brilliance.

In a complex world, the simplest words are the most oversubscribed.

"The more we stray into the territory of naming systems and geography, the more we realize the illogicality."

Cyberspace and globalization represent ... a sea change in the scale of modern society.

The vast majority of trademark applications used to be rejected; now the opposite is true.

Audible Magic provides innovative electronic media identification and copyright management solutions for content owners, publishers, broadcasters, duplicators and IT organizations.