The European site Rated-Patent Exchange (RPE) takes a new approach from the regular patent auction sites in they claim that the power of public patent databases is leveraged. The system allows a so-called Seeker to anonymously request a patent asset from a Holder. Therefore, a Seeker does not need to wait until a patent incidentally appears in an auction, but can use the request as a general tool for managing a portfolio. Anything the Seeker does is confidential and anonymous, including communicating with the Holder through the site.
RPE offers Standard (free) and Professional (not free) memberships that have various fee structures associated with them regarding making offers and successful transactions. The site offers little in the way of success stories/statistics but it certainly has a lot of competition in the marketplace.
The site claims that the transactions resemble a procedure before a patent office so that patent attorneys will be comfortable with the site. Also, patent attorneys may integrate the transactions into their day to day business as an alternative to attacking other peoples patents, negotiating licenses or to abandon their own clients patents.
While the first 700 users registering have the chance to win an iPod nano, you must be a Professional Representative before the European Patent Office or you’ll need an invitation from a registered user at RPE before registering.
You can check out this exclusive club here. Previously featured on Axel H Horns’ Blog.
