PATENTS & LICENSES -- Covering Their Assets

Those tempted to dismiss any patents out of hand would do well to bear in mind the recent industry history with another patent. In 1994, Richard Stein, of National Printing & Packaging in Denver, was issued patent #5,283,154 for a "random screen waterless printing process." Controversy arose when he started requesting licensing and royalties fees from companies using stochastic/frequency modulated screening in combination with waterless printing. The patent was awarded even though Stein hadn't developed a methodology for producing the screening nor any plates or inks used in the waterless process.