(1) legal (contract) fixed-term method A considerable part of intangible assets are controlled by enterprises because of the specific protection of laws and contracts, such as the fixed-term of patents, so the legal protection fixed-term is the upper limit of economic life. The same is true when the contract stipulates the validity period. Generally speaking, copyrights, patents, franchises, import and export licenses, production licenses, purchase and sale contracts, land use rights, mining rights, lease rights, preferential financing conditions, tax incentives, etc. all have statutory or contractual deadlines. At this time, the key issue is to analyze whether there is still residual economic life within the statutory (contract) period. For copyright and patent rights, the legal protection period is long, while the technology and knowledge are updated quickly. When the remaining legal life is still long, it is difficult to predict the remaining economic life, so other methods need to be adopted to evaluate it. For franchises, import and export licenses, production licenses, lease rights and other legal [contract] life, but the income is relatively stable, the remaining economic life can be determined according to the remaining years of legal [contract] life.
[2] The renewal cycle method is a more suitable method for some patents, copyrights and proprietary technologies to evaluate the remaining economic life of intangible assets according to the renewal cycle. There are two reference systems for the renewal cycle of intangible assets: one is the product renewal cycle. In some high-tech and emerging industries, scientific and technological progress is often quickly transformed into product upgrading. For example, electronic computers are upgraded every 2-5 years. The product renewal cycle fundamentally determines the renewal cycle of intangible assets. In particular, the utility model design and product design for products are bound to be updated with the product update. The second is the technology update cycle. The emergence of a new generation of technology replaces the existing technology.
the renewal cycle method is usually based on the historical experience data of similar intangible assets, and statistical models are used to analyze them, instead of analyzing the renewal cycle of intangible assets one by one.
(3) Residual life prediction method The residual life prediction method directly evaluates the economic life of intangible assets that can be used. This method is a comprehensive forecast based on the market competition of products, the progress and updating trend of alternative technologies. It is very important to discuss with relevant technical experts and experienced marketing experts, especially the technical secrets of enterprises. There is no other way to make a more objective evaluation, and relying on the expert judgment of this enterprise can be closer to reality. However, it is necessary to correct the one-sidedness in judgment in order to draw a comprehensive conclusion.
it needs to be further explained that the remaining economic life of intangible assets is inherently uncertain, especially the remaining economic life of knowledge-based intangible assets is more random. Therefore, no matter which method is used to evaluate, it is actually estimated according to a certain probability, with greater uncertainty. The transaction price of intangible assets determined in this way makes both buyers and sellers encounter greater risks. Therefore, in the transaction of actual intangible assets, the transaction of "dynamic technology" is now emerging, that is, not only the existing technology but also the alternative technology developed in the future. The updated technology also determines the trading conditions. In this way, there is no problem of evaluating the life cycle of intangible assets. As long as this transaction continues, its "life" can continue.
the service life of intangible assets of science and technology. It reflects the whole process of this kind of assets from its development, formation to wide application and even being replaced by another new asset. This process is the same as the life course of living things. It goes through four stages: occurrence, development, maturity and decline. The life cycle of scientific and technological intangible assets is the effective time of this kind of intangible assets in practical application. Take technology as an example. Most common technologies have a renewal period of no more than 1 years. The replacement cycle of electronic computers and household appliances is 2-5 years. Generally speaking, when the use value of intangible assets is lost, it is the end of its life cycle.
The life cycle of intangible assets of science and technology is a complex problem influenced by many factors. Generally speaking, at this stage, an expert system is needed to determine it.