Intellectual property (IP) is the invisible infrastructure of innovation. Intellectual property rights are a source of hidden wealth worth trillions of dollars, and they impose hidden costs on the same scale. The rules of intellectual property range from confusing to nearly incomprehensible, and the professional practitioners who manage these rights sometimes seem to belong to a secret society. Many of those who use the intellectual property system, or oppose it, have hidden agendas. This book reveals those secrets, and helps readers grasp how the system works and how they can make it work for them.

Tensions about intellectual property are no surprise. Fights over intellectual property issues are increasingly tumbling out of obscurity and into public view on the global stage, in international organizations, national legislatures, boardrooms, and courtrooms.

• Pharmaceutical companies promote stronger patents to stimulate innovation, while patient advocates around the world seek greater access to patented drugs.

• Tropical nations demand that anyone who removes biological materials must ask permission and pay for the privilege, while researchers from the north complain that the “greenhouse door” is being slammed closed.

• The Canadian makers of the ubiquitous Blackberry device claim they were “bullied” into a $600M settlement by NTP, a small U.S. company with no products on the market. With its new wealth, NTP takes on Palm and others.

• The United States pushes China to stop the rampant piracy of software and movies, while others debate whether stronger enforcement of copyright in developing countries only benefits foreign businesses.

• Multinational media publishers promote tighter control over distribution of music and video works on the Internet, while open source software and open access science thrive.