Patents

The move is seen as a way to bolster both companies as they continue competing with chief rival, Apple.

The Apple-Samsung patent case in front of an appeals court on Friday differs from the Apple-Samsung patent dispute before the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Apple and Samsung have been locked in a series of bitter patent disputes. A ruling on one of those battles is expected from the U.S. International Trade Commission today.

Makers of patented drugs sometimes pay generic drug makers not to copy their drugs when they go off patent, allowing them to keep charging high prices. The U.S. Supreme Court says the FTC can challenge such deals.

The U.S. International Trade Commission has banned the import of some of Apple's older devices -- the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 3G. Some experts argue courts are unlikely to uphold the ban.

Monday is the first day on which patents will be awarded to the first filer of the patent not the first person to come up with an idea. Many worry this will favor applicants with big money behind them.

Chicken McNuggets have generated huge amount of money for McDonald's. But the credit for their invention may belong to a little known poultry scientist who freely shared his research.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has dealt Apple some bitter news.

Online health site WebMD plans to lay off 14 percent of its staff. Drug companies have curtailed ads because lucrative patents have expired.