A dead mans switch might be a good idea to implement into smart contracts that can be made to release private keys in a multisig setting in the event of the passing of a relative holding crypto. With so many crypto's, I don't see a standard arising, so there will probably be lots of losses in the early years as this takes off. Steemit has the ability to recover accounts.

I don't see how patents can be enforced on bitcoin unless it's supplemental to core usage. Sounds like authority wasting a lot of money when the internet surpasses national jurisdictions.