Overview

This is a Fall 2023 article published in Jurimetrics, the American Bar Association and Arizona State University journal of law, science, and technology. Using a “tsunami” metaphor, it presents a strategic, data-analytic overview of how blockchain technology drove a wave of global patent filings. The article traces the rise of blockchain innovation from Bitcoin’s early success, the subsequent surge in intellectual-property claims, and the more recent cooling of that momentum amid market volatility and regulatory uncertainty. It reads as guidance for innovators on protecting blockchain inventions and navigating the legal hurdles specific to this class of technology.

Key points

• The initial success of Bitcoin catalyzed a large surge in blockchain-related patent filings worldwide, which the author frames as a “tsunami” of technology and intellectual property.
• Blockchain’s framing evolved from a cryptocurrency substrate into a broad data-security and tamper-resistant record-keeping tool applicable across many industries.
• The filing surge later cooled during the “crypto-winter,” reflecting market volatility and regulatory headwinds rather than a loss of underlying technical utility.
• The United States and IBM are highlighted as dominant forces in securing blockchain patent rights.
• Patent-eligibility challenges (abstract-idea subject-matter scrutiny under US law) make the technological specificity and detail of a claim strategically important to overcoming legal eligibility objections.
• The article concludes that blockchain’s core value in producing tamper-resistant records supports its long-term relevance despite the slowdown.

Relevance to Truestamp

The article’s central observation, that blockchain’s durable value lies in creating tamper-resistant, verifiable records, is the same premise underlying Truestamp’s timestamping and verification model (see what Truestamp is). It provides useful legal and market context on the Bitcoin-driven blockchain landscape into which such systems commit their block proofs.

Citations

1. Tsunami of Blockchain Technology and Patents: A Strategic Data-Analytic Overview. Published in Jurimetrics (American Bar Association / Arizona State University), Fall 2023.