The Patentist

September 2026

Examiner leniency and the art of the accidental experiment

From jails to patent offices, the economic literature has made a surprising jump. Discover the story in this month’s edition of The Patentist.

Sep 30 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

5

Who calls the shots in global SEP disputes?

In this post, I report on the “SEP and FRAND Developments” roundtable at the EPIP Conference in Turin on September 10, 2026.

Sep 14 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

1

August 2026

Putting a number on novelty

This post dives into the measurement of invention novelty, explaining how researchers have attempted “to quantify the unprecedented.”

Aug 13 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

12

4

2

July 2026

The false comfort of comparables

Navigating the EPO’s new FRAND study

Jul 28 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

2

Introducing The Patentist SEP Edition

The Patentist SEP Edition is a shorter, more specialized stream for readers interested in standard-essential patents (SEPs), FRAND licensing, patent…

Jul 14 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

4

FRAND is not a number

What WIPO's SEP valuation report gets right

Jul 14 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

1

Counting patents, miscounting innovation

For those who draft, examine, litigate, or value patents, counting patents to measure innovation can sound like a terrible idea.

Jul 9 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

12

2

June 2026

Patents after the invention machine

If AI starts generating more inventions, the central question is not whether a machine can sign an inventor declaration. It is how the patent system…

Jun 10 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

7

2

April 2026

The hidden policy power of patent fees

From the USPTO’s value-tax debate to the EPO’s micro-entity discounts, patent-office fees are the most visible and controllable price signals in the…

Apr 28 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

5

1

1

February 2026

When standards meet patents: The economics of SEPs and FRAND (Part II)

Standards solve a coordination problem—and then create a new one. Once an industry converges on a technical interface, compatibility becomes a…

Feb 26 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

4

When standards meet patents: The economics of SEPs and FRAND (Part I)

Standards create enormous economic value by making products work together. But they also create a special kind of bargaining over patents.

Feb 3 • Gaétan de Rassenfosse

5