SEGMENT REPORTING - Segment Income and Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2024	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2024	Jun. 30, 2023
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 25,838	$ 7,904	$ 50,158	$ 22,707
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	802	145	1,408	366
Contingent legal fees	571	12	2,395	544
Litigation and licensing expenses	1,152	2,253	2,290	3,637
Amortization of patents	3,240	2,600	6,673	5,201
Cost of sales	3,277	3,933	7,326	9,153
Cost of production	10,038		11,353
Total cost of revenues	19,080	8,943	31,445	18,901
Segment gross (loss) profit	6,758	(1,039)	18,713	3,806
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	178	205	312	421
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,387	1,859	2,942	3,772
Amortization of intangible assets	3,700	3,000	7,500	6,100
General and administrative expenses	9,951	9,426	22,304	21,466
Operating loss	(4,758)	(12,529)	(6,845)	(21,853)
Total other income (expense)	(11,132)	(7,895)	(10,343)	13,359
Loss before income taxes	(15,890)	(20,424)	(17,188)	(8,494)
Parent Company
Other operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses	5,520	5,798	12,257	13,223
Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	178	205	312	421
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,387	1,859	2,942	3,772
Amortization of intangible assets	433	434	866	867
General and administrative expenses	3,998	3,194	9,181	7,376
Total other operating expenses	5,996	5,692	13,301	12,436
Operating loss	762	(6,731)	5,412	(8,630)
Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	5,333	394	18,956	4,570
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	802	145	1,408	366
Contingent legal fees	571	12	2,395	544
Litigation and licensing expenses	1,152	2,253	2,290	3,637
Amortization of patents	3,240	2,600	6,673	5,201
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of production	0		0
Total cost of revenues	5,765	5,010	12,766	9,748
Segment gross (loss) profit	(432)	(4,616)	6,190	(5,178)
Intellectual property operations | Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	0	0	0	0
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	0	0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	1,821	1,602	5,161	3,499
Total other operating expenses	1,821	1,602	5,161	3,499
Operating loss	(2,253)	(6,218)	1,029	(8,677)
Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	6,335	7,510	15,176	18,137
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	0	0	0	0
Contingent legal fees	0	0	0	0
Litigation and licensing expenses	0	0	0	0
Amortization of patents	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	3,277	3,933	7,326	9,153
Cost of production	0		0
Total cost of revenues	3,277	3,933	7,326	9,153
Segment gross (loss) profit	3,058	3,577	7,850	8,984
Industrial operations | Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	178	205	312	421
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,387	1,859	2,942	3,772
Amortization of intangible assets	433	434	866	867
General and administrative expenses	1,294	1,592	2,752	3,877
Total other operating expenses	3,292	4,090	6,872	8,937
Operating loss	(234)	(513)	978	47
Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	14,170		16,026
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	0		0
Cost of production	10,038		11,353
Total cost of revenues	10,038		11,353
Segment gross (loss) profit	4,132		4,673
Energy 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	883		1,268
Total other operating expenses	883		1,268
Operating loss	3,249		3,405
License fees
Revenues:
Revenues	5,333	394	18,956	4,570
License fees | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	5,333	394	18,956	4,570
License fees | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
License fees | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Printers and parts
Revenues:
Revenues	1,884	2,324	4,949	6,788
Printers and parts | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Printers and parts | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	1,884	2,324	4,949	6,788
Printers and parts | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Consumable products
Revenues:
Revenues	3,567	4,328	8,580	9,498
Consumable products | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Consumable products | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	3,567	4,328	8,580	9,498
Consumable products | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Services
Revenues:
Revenues	884	858	1,647	1,851
Services | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Services | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	884	$ 858	1,647	$ 1,851
Services | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Oil sales
Revenues:
Revenues	8,082		8,743
Oil sales | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Oil sales | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Oil sales | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	8,082		8,743
Natural gas sales
Revenues:
Revenues	1,991		2,721
Natural gas sales | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Natural gas sales | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Natural gas sales | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	1,991		2,721
Natural gas liquids sales
Revenues:
Revenues	4,097		4,562
Natural gas liquids sales | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Natural gas liquids sales | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Natural gas liquids sales | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 4,097		$ 4,562