PATENT LIFE AND SCOPE: WHAT IS THE OPTIMAL COMBINATION?

Abstract

The patent system rewards innovators by giving them monopoly power. Two questions naturally arise: how big must monopoly power be? And for how long should it be granted? In other words: what is the optimal level of protection across the duration (length) and extent (width and height) of patents? Indeed, our goal is to study how patent breadth and height, alongside length, can be instruments in order to solve the dilemma between encouraging investment in research and development and ensuring the dissemination of knowledge.