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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

(a) Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers securities purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents consist of short-term investments in money market accounts at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

Cash and cash equivalents are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. We have never experienced any losses related to these balances. FDIC insurance coverage is $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution, and our non-interest bearing cash balances may again exceed federally insured limits. Amounts on deposit in excess of federally insured limits at December 31, 2015 and 2014 is approximately $5.0 million and $6.8 million, respectively.

Short-term/Long-term Investments

(b) Short-term/Long-term Investments

The Company classifies investments in marketable securities as trading, available-for-sale or held-to-maturity at the time of purchase and periodically re-evaluates such classifications. Trading securities are carried at fair value, with unrealized holding gains and losses included in earnings. Held-to-maturity securities are recorded at cost and are adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts over the life of the related security. Unrealized holding gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are excluded from earnings and are reported as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until realized. In determining realized gains and losses, the cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method. Interest and dividends on the investments are accrued at the balance sheet date. At December 31, 2015 and 2014 all investments were classified as held to maturity and consisted of the following:

				December 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
Certificates of Deposit		Maturity		Value of Held to Maturity		Value of Held to Maturity
Investment		Date		Investments (based on cost)		Investments (based on cost)
$	1,501,554		8/27/2015	$	—	$	1,501,554
$	1,503,525		8/27/2016	$	1,513,784	$	1,503,525
				$	1,513,784	$	3,005,079

Royalties Receivable

Royalties receivable from licensees are recorded at the amounts specified within the license agreements when the collectability of the receivable is reasonably assured. The receivables do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company's best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in the Company's existing royalties receivable. The Company determines the allowance based on historical write off experience. The Company reviews its allowance for doubtful accounts periodically. Past due accounts are reviewed individually for collectability. Account balances are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. As of December 31, 2015, four companies accounted for 21%, 15%, 12% and 11%, respectively, of the Company's outstanding receivables. As of December 31, 2014, four companies accounted for 19%, 17%, 10% and 10%, respectively, of the Company's outstanding receivables.

Fixed Assets

(d) Fixed Assets

Fixed assets are carried at cost. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets.

Revenue Recognition/Fee Income

(e) Revenue Recognition/Fee Income

The Company has entered into a number of license agreements covering its light control technology. The Company receives minimum annual royalties under certain license agreements and records fee income on a ratable basis each quarter. In instances when sales of licensed products by its licensees exceed minimum annual royalties, the Company recognizes fee income as the amounts have been earned. Certain of the fees are accrued by, or paid to, the Company in advance of the period in which they are earned resulting in deferred revenue. Such excess amounts are recorded as deferred revenue and are typically recognized into income by year end. As of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, there was no material impact on revenue as a result of recognizing deferred revenue in the consolidated statement of operations.

Fee income represents amounts earned by the Company under various license and other agreements (note 8) relating to technology developed by the Company. During 2015, three licensees accounted for 33%, 15%, and 9%, respectively, of fee income recognized for the year. In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2015, approximately 14% of revenues related to fees generated by a large architectural glass project. During 2014, five licensees accounted for 36%, 11%, 9%, 9%, and 5%, respectively of fee income recognized during the year. During 2013 six licensees accounted for 40%, 12%, 6% and 6%, 5%, and 5% respectively of fee income recognized for the year.

Basic and Diluted Loss Per Common Share

(f) Basic and Diluted Loss Per Common Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share excludes any dilution. It is based upon the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Dilutive earnings (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution that would occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock. The Company's dilutive loss per share equals basic loss per share for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015 because all common stock equivalents (i.e., options and warrants) were antidilutive in those periods. The number of options and warrants that were not included because their effect is antidilutive was 2,197,369, 2,924,419, and 2,860,219, for 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively.

Research and Development Costs

(g) Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred.

Patent Costs

(h) Patent Costs

The Company expenses costs relating to the development or acquisition of patents due to the uncertainty of the recoverability of these items.

Use of Estimates

(i) Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements requires management of the Company to make a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reported amount of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during this period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Income Taxes

(j) Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carry-forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

In accordance with ASC Topic 740 (FIN 48), we recognize tax benefits only for tax positions that are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. The amount recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement. Unrecognized tax benefits are tax benefits claimed in tax returns that do not meet these recognition and measurement standards. We classify accrued interest and penalties related to any unrecognized tax benefits in our income tax provision. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, we do not have accrued interest and penalties related to any unrecognized tax benefits. We do not believe we have any uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2015 and 2014.

The tax years subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions include the years 2011 and forward by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and certain states. The Company is not currently being audited by any tax jurisdiction.

Equity-Based Compensation

(k) Equity-Based Compensation

We recognize all stock-based compensation as an expense in the financial statements and such costs are measured at the fair value of the award at the date of grant. In addition to reflecting compensation expense for new share-based payment awards, expense is also recognized to reflect the remaining vesting period of awards that had been granted in prior periods. Tax benefits related to stock option exercises are reflected as financing cash inflows instead of operating cash inflows.

The exercise price for stock options granted are generally set at the average for the high and low trading prices of the Company's common stock on the trading date immediately prior to the date of grant, and the related number of shares granted are fixed at the date of grant.

In order to determine the fair value of stock options on the date of grant, the Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Inherent in this model are assumptions related to expected stock-price volatility, option term, risk-free interest rate and dividend yield. While the risk-free interest rate and dividend yield are less subjective assumptions that are based on factual data derived from public sources, the expected stock-price volatility and option term assumptions require a greater level of judgment.

In connection with the employee stock options and restricted stock grants, the Company charged $715,009, $1,010,489, and $2,545,060 to operations during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. In lieu of higher cash compensation, the Company has granted warrants and non-employee options to consultants. These warrants and non-employee options vested ratably over various terms ranging from 24 to 59 months. As of December 31, 2015 these awards were fully vested. Non-employee options covering 24,000 shares were granted to consultants during 2014. These non-employee options are valued at fair value at the time that the related services are provided using the Black Scholes method and marked to market quarterly using the Black Scholes method. The Company incurred a charge to operations of $10,007, $32,428, and $369,844, for 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively in connection with these warrants and non-employee options.

Restricted Stock

(l) Restricted Stock

Compensation cost for restricted stock is measured using the quoted market price of the Company's common stock at the date the common stock is granted. The compensation cost is recognized over the period between the issue date and the date any restrictions lapse. Restricted stock is included in total common shares outstanding upon the lapse of any restrictions.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

(m) Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets to determine whether an event or change in circumstances indicates the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. The Company bases its evaluation on such impairment indicators as the nature of the assets, the future economic benefit of the assets and any historical or future profitability measurements, as well as other external market conditions or factors that may be present.

Fair Value Measurements

(n) Fair Value Measurements

The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount at which the instrument could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties. The carrying amounts of all financial instruments classified as a current asset or current liability are deemed to approximate fair value because of the short maturity of those instruments.

Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC Topic 820”) establishes a framework for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. ASC Topic 820 applies other previously issued accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements but does not require any new fair value measurements.

ASC Topic 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between (1) market participant assumptions developed based on market data obtained from independent sources (observable inputs) and (2) an entity's own assumptions about market participant assumptions developed based on the best information available in the circumstances (unobservable inputs).

We value financial instruments using a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

Financial assets accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2015 and 2014, include cash and cash equivalents of approximately $5.7 million and $7.6 million, respectively, as well as short term investments of $1.5 million and $1.5 million in 2015 and 2014, respectively. The carrying value of these assets approximates fair value due to the short-term maturity of these instruments.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

(o) Recent Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) jointly issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which clarifies the principles for recognizing revenue and develops a common revenue standard for GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. In July 2015, the FASB approved a deferral of the ASU effective date from annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016 to annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its financial position and results of operations.

In November 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (ASU) No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740), Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. The amendments under the new guidance require that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The guidance is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Earlier application is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The amendments in this ASU may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, "Financial Instruments--Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities," which amends the guidance in U.S. GAAP on the classification and measurement of financial instruments. Changes to the current guidance primarily affects the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option, and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. In addition, the ASU clarifies guidance related to the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. The new standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and upon adoption, an entity should apply the amendments by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet at the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. Early adoption is not permitted except for the provision to record fair value changes for financial liabilities under the fair value option resulting from instrument-specific credit risk in other comprehensive income. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance.

In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Updated (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. Early adoption of the new guidance is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-02 on our consolidated financial statements.