SEGMENT REPORTING - Segment Income and Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 16,717	$ 17,400	$ 30,224	$ 23,203
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	190		360
Contingent legal fees	755		1,304
Litigation and licensing expenses	1,089		2,333
Amortization of patents	2,600		5,201
Cost of sales	4,592		8,784
Total cost of revenues	9,226		17,982
Segment gross profit	7,491		12,242
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	145	0	335	0
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	2,294	0	4,310	0
Amortization of intangible assets	3,000	2,600	6,100	4,500
General and administrative expenses	10,722	6,503	21,775	12,669
Operating (loss) income	(5,670)	1,644	(14,178)	(4,032)
Total other income (expense)	(42,020)	18,532	(121,656)	(139,347)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(47,690)	20,176	(135,834)	(143,379)
Parent Company
Other operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses	6,229	5,100	12,711	10,200
Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	145		335
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	2,294		4,310
Amortization of intangible assets	433		866
General and administrative expenses	4,060		8,198
Total other operating expenses	6,932		13,709
Operating (loss) income	559		(1,467)
Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	8,062		10,677
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	190		360
Contingent legal fees	755		1,304
Litigation and licensing expenses	1,089		2,333
Amortization of patents	2,600		5,201
Cost of sales	0		0
Total cost of revenues	4,634		9,198
Segment gross profit	3,428		1,479
Other operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses		$ 1,400		$ 2,400
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	1,807		3,523
Total other operating expenses	1,807		3,523
Operating (loss) income	1,621		(2,044)
Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	8,655		19,547
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	4,592		8,784
Total cost of revenues	4,592		8,784
Segment gross profit	4,063		10,763
Industrial operations | Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	145		335
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	2,294		4,310
Amortization of intangible assets	433		866
General and administrative expenses	2,253		4,675
Total other operating expenses	5,125		10,186
Operating (loss) income	(1,062)		577
License fees
Revenues:
Revenues	8,062		10,677
License fees | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	8,062		10,677
License fees | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Printers and parts
Revenues:
Revenues	3,662		7,916
Printers and parts | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Printers and parts | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	3,662		7,916
Consumable products
Revenues:
Revenues	4,214		9,598
Consumable products | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Consumable products | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	4,214		9,598
Services
Revenues:
Revenues	779		2,033
Services | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Services | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 779		$ 2,033