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Intellectual Property

Promote Innovation by Protecting Valuable IP

Intellectual property is the lifeblood of the semiconductor industry, and SIA supports policies that encourage innovation, including the protection of intellectual property. The continued success of our industry and continued American leadership in semiconductor design and manufacturing depends on a strong and balanced patent system and strong protections for trade secrets.

Another important aspect of IP protection is SIA’s anti-counterfeiting agenda.

Official Comments and Letters >

All IP Resources >

Featured Intellectual Property Resources

Winning the Future: A Blueprint for Sustained U.S. Leadership in Semiconductor Technology
SIA Comments on Development of Joint Strategic Plan on IP Enforcement
Coalition Letter to USTR on Protection of Trade Secrets
A Research Intensive Industry

The semiconductor industry is research intensive—members invest, on average, about one-fifth of revenues to research and development. Much of this research results in inventions that receive patent protection or are protected as trade secrets, demonstrating the importance of intellectual property to semiconductor innovation. Semiconductor companies, including several SIA members, are regularly among the top recipients of U.S. patents each year.

Reducing Abusive Patent Litigation

SIA member companies are increasingly concerned about abusive patent litigation that needlessly raise litigation costs and seriously undermine innovation by redirecting research expenditures and other resources to litigation expenses. Unfortunately, existing procedures to combat abusive litigation practices are currently applied by the courts in such a manner that they fail to achieve their objective in curbing such abusive behaviors.

To address this issue, we encourage the judiciary to take steps to address this problem through modifications to the practices under their control. At the same time, we believe there is merit in Congress taking action to reduce abusive patent litigation.

SIA supports reforms to prevent abusive patent litigation behavior, and believes that such reforms should be applied in a balanced manner to all litigants.  Adopting appropriate and balanced disincentives for abusive patent litigation will help advance innovation and improve the overall patent system.

Protection of Trade Secrets

Much of the IP developed by the semiconductor industry, such as process technology and know-how, is valuable information protected as trade secrets. SIA supported enactment of the Defend Trade Secrets Act, legislation to strengthen the protection of trade secrets, including the establishment of a federal civil cause of action for the misappropriation of trade secrets.

48%
The U.S. semiconductor industry is the worldwide leader with nearly half of global market share.
2M+
The industry directly employs over 307,000 people in the U.S. and supports more than 1.7 million additional U.S. jobs.
#5
Semiconductors are a top U.S. export after refined oil, crude oil, natural gas, and civilian aircraft.
1/5
The U.S. industry invests about one-fifth of revenue in R&D on average, among the most of any sector.

The Latest in Intellectual Property

Industry Facts

Brochures and One Pagers : 04/21/22

New Report Highlights Strength of U.S. Semiconductor Industry and Continued Challenges

Press Release : 09/27/21

U.S. Semiconductor Leadership: A Policy Platform

Brochures and One Pagers : 10/15/20
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