SEGMENT REPORTING - Segment Income and Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 14,803	$ 13,507
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	221	170
Contingent legal fees	532	549
Litigation and licensing expenses	1,384	1,244
Amortization of patents	2,601	2,601
Cost of sales	5,220	4,192
Total cost of revenues	9,958	8,756
Segment gross profit	4,845	4,751
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	216	190
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,913	2,016
Amortization of intangible assets	3,000
General and administrative expenses	12,040	11,053
Operating loss	(9,324)	(8,508)
Total other income (expense)	21,254	(79,636)
Income (loss) before income taxes	11,930	(88,144)
Parent Company
Other operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses	7,425	6,482
Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	216	190
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,913	2,016
Amortization of intangible assets	433	433
General and administrative expenses	4,182	4,138
Total other operating expenses	6,744	6,777
Operating loss	(1,899)	(2,026)
Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	4,176	2,615
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	221	170
Contingent legal fees	532	549
Litigation and licensing expenses	1,384	1,244
Amortization of patents	2,601	2,601
Cost of sales	0	0
Total cost of revenues	4,738	4,564
Segment gross profit	(562)	(1,949)
Intellectual property operations | Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	0	0
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0
General and administrative expenses	1,897	1,716
Total other operating expenses	1,897	1,716
Operating loss	(2,459)	(3,665)
Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	10,627	10,892
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	0	0
Contingent legal fees	0	0
Litigation and licensing expenses	0	0
Amortization of patents	0	0
Cost of sales	5,220	4,192
Total cost of revenues	5,220	4,192
Segment gross profit	5,407	6,700
Industrial operations | Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	216	190
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,913	2,016
Amortization of intangible assets	433	433
General and administrative expenses	2,285	2,422
Total other operating expenses	4,847	5,061
Operating loss	560	1,639
License fees
Revenues:
Revenues	4,176	2,615
License fees | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	4,176	2,615
License fees | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0
Printers and parts
Revenues:
Revenues	4,464	4,254
Printers and parts | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0
Printers and parts | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	4,464	4,254
Consumable products
Revenues:
Revenues	5,170	5,384
Consumable products | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0
Consumable products | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	5,170	5,384
Services
Revenues:
Revenues	993	1,254
Services | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0
Services | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 993	$ 1,254