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BUSINESS AND FUNDING | 9 Months Ended
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Jul. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block] | 1. BUSINESS AND FUNDING Description of Business As used herein, “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company”, or “ITUS” means ITUS Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated. The primary operations of the Company involve the development, acquisition, licensing, and enforcement of patented technologies that are either owned or controlled by the Company. In June 2014, ITUS Patent Acquisition Corporation acquired the exclusive rights to license and enforce our 10th patent portfolio called Enhanced Auction Technologies, which covers enhanced presentation and cross selling technologies used by some of the world’s leading auction sites. The Company currently owns or controls 10 patent portfolios including Encrypted Mobile Communication; Enhanced Auction Technologies: ePaper® Electrophoretic Display; Internet Telephonic Gateway; J-Channel Window Frame Construction; Key Based Web Conferencing Encryption; Loyalty Conversion Systems; Micro Electro Mechanical Systems Display; Nano Field Emission Display; and VPN Multicast Communications. As part of our patent assertion activities and in the ordinary course of our business, the Company has initiated and will likely continue to initiate patent infringement lawsuits, and engage in patent infringement litigation. In September of 2014, the Company initiated its seventh patent assertion campaign, bringing the total number of lawsuits since we implemented our patent monetization business model in January of 2013 to 44. Our primary source of revenue will come from licenses resulting from the unauthorized use of our patented technologies, including the settlement of patent infringement lawsuits. During the nine months ended July 31, 2014, we entered into 5 license and/or settlement agreements including agreements in connection with our patented Key Based Web Encryption technology and our patented J-Channel Window Frame Construction technology. In September 2014, we entered into 5 additional license and/or settlement agreements with Jeld-Wen, Inc., Atrium Windows and Doors, Inc., Pella Corporation, Ply Gem Industries, Inc. and Simonton Building Products, Inc., all in connection with our patented J-Channel Window Frame Construction technology. These licenses resolved lawsuits that were pending against the aforementioned companies. Since implementing our new business model in January of 2013, the Company has entered into a total of 14 revenue producing license and/or settlement agreements, and 3 of our 7 patent assertion campaigns have now generated revenue. On August 29, 2014, the Company ended its relationship with Videocon Industries Limited, terminating Videocon’s license to the Company’s patented Nano Field Emission Display technology. On September 3, 2014, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas invalidated two of our Loyalty Conversion Systems patents by ruling that they did not cover patentable subject matter, resulting in the dismissal of 7 of our Loyalty Conversion Systems Corporation’s lawsuits. On September 8, 2014, the Company filed patent infringement lawsuits against Ebay, Vendio, and Auctiva in connection with our patented Enhanced Auction Technologies. The Company currently has 27 pending lawsuits in connection with its patented technologies. In addition to continuing to mine and monetize our existing patents, our wholly owned subsidiary, ITUS Patent Acquisition Corporation, will continue to acquire patents and the exclusive rights to license and enforce patents from third parties. When necessary, we will assist such parties in the further development of their patent portfolios through the filing of additional patent applications. Due to arrangements previously entered into by the Company, certain of our patents contain encumbrances which may negatively impact our patent monetization and patent assertion activities. Where we are able, we will take the steps necessary to remove any encumbrances that may inhibit our patent monetization and patent assertion activities. Name Change On September 2, 2014, the Company changed its name to ITUS Corporation. The Name Change was approved by the Company’s Board of Directors on May 28, 2014 and was subsequently approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on August 8, 2014. In Greek mythology, ITUS was the God of Protection. The Name Change better aligns the Company’s corporate name with its current business and mission to develop, acquire, license and enforce of patented technologies that are either owned or controlled by the Company or one of its wholly owned subsidiaries. Funding and Management’s Plans In January 2013, we received aggregate gross proceeds of $1,765,000 from the issuance of 8% convertible debentures due January 25, 2015 in a private placement. During the third quarter of fiscal 2013, $325,000 of the principal amount of these debentures were converted into 2,166,775 shares of our common stock. During the second quarter of fiscal 2014, $1,240,000 of the principal amount of the convertible debentures were converted into 8,267,080 of shares of our common stock, and the remaining $200,000 of convertible debt was repaid in cash. In November 2013, the Company completed a private placement with a single institutional investor, pursuant to which the Company issued a $3,500,000 principal amount 6% convertible debenture due November 11, 2016. For details of this debenture, please see Note 3, Convertible Debentures herein. In July 2014, the Company completed the sale of 16,000,000 shares of its common stock at the offering price of $0.25 per share. The net proceeds from this sale totaled approximately $3,673,000. See Note 4, Sale of Common Stock – for additional information regarding this transaction. During the nine months ended July 31, 2014, cash used in operating activities was approximately $2,017,000. Cash used in investing activities during the nine months ended July 31, 2014 was approximately $2,554,000, which principally resulted from the purchase of certificates of deposit totaling $3,700,000 which was partially offset by the sale of certificates of deposit totaling $1,150,000. Our cash provided by financing activities during the nine months ended July 31, 2014 was approximately $7,324,000, which resulted from the net proceeds from the sale of 16,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for approximately $3,673,000, the sale of convertible debentures in a private placement for $3,500,000, the proceeds from exercise of warrants to purchase common stock of approximately $300,000, and the proceeds from exercise of stock options of approximately $51,000 offset by the payment to redeem convertible debentures of $200,000. As a result, our cash, cash equivalents, and short-term nvestments at July 31, 2014 increased approximately $5,304,000 to approximately $6,202,000 from approximately $898,000 at the end of fiscal year 2013. Based on currently available information, the Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, and expected cash flows from patent licensing and enforcement, and other potential sources of cash flows will be sufficient to enable it to continue our patent licensing and enforcement activities for at least 12 months. However, our projections of future cash needs and cash flows may differ from actual results. If current cash on hand, short term investments and cash that may be generated from patent licensing and enforcement activities are insufficient to satisfy our liquidity requirements, we may seek to sell equity securities or obtain loans from various financial institutions where possible. The sale of additional equity securities or convertible debt could result in dilution to our shareholders. We can give no assurance that we will generate sufficient cash flows in the future (through licensing and enforcement of patents, or otherwise) to satisfy our liquidity requirements or sustain future operations, or that other sources of funding, such as sales of equity or debt, would be available, if needed, on favorable terms or at all. If we cannot obtain such funding if needed or if we cannot sufficiently reduce operating expenses, we would need to curtail or cease some or all of our operations. Basis of Presentation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 8-03 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles in annual financial statements have been omitted or condensed. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended October 31, 2013, as reported by us in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 16, 2014. The year-end consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments of a normal recurring nature which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of our financial position as of July 31, 2014, and results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods represented. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended July 31, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year. Revenue Recognition Revenue is recognized when (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) all obligations have been substantially performed pursuant to the terms of the arrangement, (iii) amounts are fixed or determinable, and (iv) the collectability of amounts is reasonably assured. Patent Monetization and Patent Assertion In general, revenue arrangements provide for the payment of contractually determined fees in consideration for the grant of certain intellectual property rights for patented technologies owned or controlled by our operating subsidiaries. These rights typically include some combination of the following: (i) the grant of a non-exclusive, retroactive and future license to manufacture and/or sell products covered by patented technologies owned or controlled by our operating subsidiaries, (ii) a covenant-not-to-sue, (iii) the release of the licensee from certain claims, and (iv) the dismissal of any pending litigation. The intellectual property rights granted are perpetual in nature, extending until the expiration of the related patents. Pursuant to the terms of these agreements, our operating subsidiaries have no further obligation with respect to the grant of the non-exclusive retroactive and future licenses, covenants-not-to-sue, releases, and other deliverables, including no express or implied obligation on our operating subsidiaries’ part to maintain or upgrade the technology, or provide future support or services. Generally, the agreements provide for the grant of the licenses, covenants-not-to-sue, releases, and other significant deliverables upon execution of the agreement. As such, the earnings process is complete and revenue is recognized upon the execution of the agreement, when collectability is reasonably assured, and when all other revenue recognition criteria have been met. Display Technology Development and License Fees We have assessed the revenue guidance of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 605-25 “Multiple-Element Arrangements” (“ASC 605-25”) to determine whether multiple deliverables in our arrangements with AUO represent separate units of accounting. Under the AUO License Agreements, we received initial development and license fees of $3 million, of aggregate development and license fees of up to $10 million. The additional $7 million in development and license fees were to be payable upon completion of certain conditions for the respective technologies. We have determined that the transfer of the licensed patents and technology and the effort involved in completion of the conditions for the respective technologies represent a single unit of accounting for each technology. Accordingly, using a proportional performance method, during the third quarter of fiscal year 2011 we began recognizing the $3 million initial development and license fees over the estimated periods that we expected to complete the conditions for the respective technologies. We have not recognized any portion of the $7 million of additional development and license fees as either deferred revenue or revenue as it is considered contingent revenue. Each of the license agreements with AUO also provide for the basis for royalty payments on future production, if any, by AUO to CopyTele, which we have determined represent separate units of accounting. We have not recognized any royalty income under the AUO License Agreements. At each reporting period we assess our remaining performance obligations under the AUO License agreements and recognize display technology development and license fee revenue over the remaining estimated period that we expect to complete the conditions for the respective technologies. Development and license fee payments received from AUO which are in excess of the amounts recognized as revenue (approximately $1,187,000 as of October 31, 2013) are recorded as non-refundable deferred revenue on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet. As a result of the AUO/E Ink Lawsuit described below we have not recorded any display technology development and license fee revenue during the period from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 through the second quarter of this fiscal year due to uncertainty as to our remaining performance obligations, if any. Based on our assessment for the three month period ended July 31, 2014, we have determined that we have no further performance obligations under the AUO License Agreements and accordingly we have recognized display technology development and license fee revenue of approximately $1,187,000, representing the balance of the initial $3 million payment received from AUO. Patents Our only identifiable intangible assets are patents and patent rights. We capitalize patent and patent rights acquisition costs and amortize the cost over the estimated economic useful life. Patent acquisition costs capitalized during the nine months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, was approximately $3,036,000 and $-0-, respectively, and none during the three months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. We recorded patent amortization expense of approximately $233,000 and $-0- during the nine months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and approximately $81,000 and $-0- during the three months ended July 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References No definition available. + Details
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