I'm looking for information--probably in the form of research
institute or government reports--on the real costs and benefits of
having a patent portfolio for a software company. I've seen lots of
opinion pieces on how the current system is broken and feeding the
lawyers, but I'd really like objective analysis on what's smart for an
individual company given the way things are. Thanks for your help; I
appreciate it.

pknopsnider54 --

Having run a development group for a personal computer company, one of
the key values is strategic: having a portfolio that can be
cross-licensed with competitors.  Absent that, a company is likely to
be vulnerable to arbitrary patent action by competitors, even for
relatively minor items like design patents.

BTW, I know of no academic studies of valuation in the patent market
that would bring some tests of objective value.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA