Question

Fields Laboratories holds a valuable patent (No. 758-6002-1A) on a precipitator that prevents certain types of air pollution. Fields does not manufacture or sell the products and processes it develops. Instead, it conducts research and develops products and processes which it patents, and then assigns the patents to manufacturers on a royalty basis. Occasionally it sells a patent. The history of Fields patent number 758-6002-1A is as follows. Date Activity Cost 2011–2012 Research conducted to develop precipitator $384,000 Jan. 2013 Design and construction of a prototype 87,600 March 2013 Testing of models 42,000 Jan. 2014 Fees paid engineers and lawyers to prepare patent application; patent granted June 30, 2014 59,500 Nov. 2015 Engineering activity necessary to advance the design of the precipitator to the manufacturing stage 81,500 Dec. 2016 Legal fees paid to successfully defend precipitator patent 42,000 April 2017 Research aimed at modifying the design of the patented precipitator 43,000 July 2021 Legal fees paid in unsuccessful patent infringement suit against a competitor 34,000 Fields assumed a useful life of 17 years when it received the initial precipitator patent. On January 1, 2019, it revised its useful life estimate downward to 5 remaining years. Amortization is computed for a full year if the cost is incurred prior to July 1, and no amortization for the year if the cost is incurred after June 30. The company's year ends December 31. Instructions Compute the carrying value of patent No. 758-6002-1A on each of the following dates:

a.December 31, 2014.

b.December 31, 2018.

c.December 31, 2021.

Answer 1

Solution:

(a)

All costs incurred prior to Jan 2014 are related to research and development activities and were expensed as incurred in accordance with GAPP.

(b)

The costs incurred in 2015 and 2017 are related to research and development activities and are expensed as incurred.

(c)

The legal costs in 2021 were expensed because the suit was unsuccessful.