SEGMENT REPORTING - Segment Income and Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 23,310	$ 10,084	$ 73,468	$ 32,791
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	220	497	1,628	863
Contingent legal fees	(22)	346	2,373	890
Litigation and licensing expenses	797	2,026	3,087	5,663
Amortization of patents	4,712	2,601	11,385	7,802
Cost of sales	3,523	4,377	10,849	13,530
Cost of production	11,729		23,082
Total cost of revenues	20,959	9,847	52,404	28,748
Segment gross (loss) profit	2,351	237	21,064	4,043
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	108	172	420	593
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,391	1,613	4,333	5,385
Amortization of intangible assets	5,100	3,000	12,700	9,100
General and administrative expenses	11,124	11,605	33,428	33,071
Operating loss	(10,272)	(13,153)	(17,117)	(35,006)
Total other income (expense)	4,112	15,718	(6,231)	29,077
(Loss) income before income taxes	(6,160)	2,565	(23,348)	(5,929)
Parent Company
Other operating expenses:
General and administrative expenses	6,097	7,788	18,354	21,011
Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	108	172	420	593
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,391	1,613	4,333	5,385
Amortization of intangible assets	433	432	1,299	1,299
General and administrative expenses	4,594	3,385	13,775	10,761
Total other operating expenses	6,526	5,602	19,827	18,038
Operating loss	(4,175)	(5,365)	1,237	(13,995)
Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	486	1,760	19,442	6,330
Cost of revenues:
Inventor royalties	220	497	1,628	863
Contingent legal fees	(22)	346	2,373	890
Litigation and licensing expenses	797	2,026	3,087	5,663
Amortization of patents	4,712	2,601	11,385	7,802
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of production	0		0
Total cost of revenues	5,707	5,470	18,473	15,218
Segment gross (loss) profit	(5,221)	(3,710)	969	(8,888)
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	1,917	1,818	7,078	5,317
Total other operating expenses	1,917	1,818	7,078	5,317
Operating loss	(7,138)	(5,528)	(6,109)	(14,205)
Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	7,007	8,324	22,183	26,461
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	3,523	4,377	10,849	13,530
Cost of production	0		0
Total cost of revenues	3,523	4,377	10,849	13,530
Segment gross (loss) profit	3,484	3,947	11,334	12,931
Industrial operations | Operating Segments
Other operating expenses:
Engineering and development expenses - industrial operations	108	172	420	593
Sales and marketing expenses - industrial operations	1,391	1,613	4,333	5,385
Amortization of intangible assets	433	432	1,299	1,299
General and administrative expenses	1,653	1,567	4,405	5,444
Total other operating expenses	3,585	3,784	10,457	12,721
Operating loss	(101)	163	877	210
Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	15,817		31,843
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	11,729		23,082
Total cost of revenues	11,729		23,082
Segment gross (loss) profit	4,088		8,761
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	1,024		2,292
Total other operating expenses	1,024		2,292
Operating loss	3,064		6,469
License fees
Revenues:
Revenues	486	1,760	19,442	6,330
License fees | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	486	1,760	19,442	6,330
License fees | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
License fees | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Printers and parts
Revenues:
Revenues	2,367	2,852	7,316	9,640
Printers and parts | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Printers and parts | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	2,367	2,852	7,316	9,640
Printers and parts | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Consumable products
Revenues:
Revenues	3,782	4,576	12,362	14,074
Consumable products | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Consumable products | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	3,782	4,576	12,362	14,074
Consumable products | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Services
Revenues:
Revenues	858	896	2,505	2,747
Services | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Services | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	858	$ 896	2,505	$ 2,747
Services | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Oil sales
Revenues:
Revenues	8,997		17,740
Oil sales | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Oil sales | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Oil sales | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	8,997		17,740
Natural gas sales
Revenues:
Revenues	2,829		5,550
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	2,829		5,550
Natural gas liquids sales
Revenues:
Revenues	3,837		8,390
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	3,837		8,390
Other service sales
Revenues:
Revenues	154		163
Other service sales | Intellectual property operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Other service sales | Industrial operations
Revenues:
Revenues	0		0
Other service sales | Energy operations
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 154		$ 163