Standards, Innovation Incentives, and the Formation of Patent Pools

Published: Nov. 1, 2010, 11 a.m.

b'Technological standards give rise to a complements problem that affects pricing and innovation incentives of technology producers. In this paper I discuss how patent pools can be used to solve these problems and what incentives patent holders have to form a patent pool. I offer some suggestions how competition authorities can foster the formation of welfare increasing patent pools.'