What monetization options are available to patent owners?

IP Value Wire has exposed and bemoaned the oft times insurmountable costs associated with protecting intellectual property.  Patent owners and analysts alike should be aware of available options. A recent white paper detailed some ways owners can monetize their patents to realize value:

1. Selling a patent generates upfront cash and is can be done through a reputable patent broker; however, selling a patent does not maximize the patent’s value (assuming there is value). So called “patent trolls” form one marketplace for selling patents;
2. Licensing is a preferred option, though it requires the willingness and wherewithal to litigate in order to have enough leverage to negotiate a valuable license;
3. Enforce the patent through litigation on a contingency fee basis;
4. Third parties can be engaged to fund enforcement litigation, either in full or partially; and
5. Patent assertion insurance exists to pay the legal fees attendant to engaging in litigation against an infringing entity.