INTRODUCTION

Patent acquisition is a vital strategy for businesses aiming to enhance their intellectual property and gain a competitive edge. While traditional methods focus on direct competitors and related technologies, exploring broad claims in patents from unrelated industries can unveil unexpected opportunities for product mapping. This article discusses innovative approaches to leverage these broad claims, identifying strategically valuable patents outside your immediate sector.

• Rethinking Patent Acquisition: Companies often limit their patent searches to their core technologies, which can restrict options. An out-of-the-box approach involves:

• Broad Claims: Many patents use broad language applicable across industries, opening new avenues for relevance.

• Product Mapping: We can identify similar applications in different sectors by analyzing patent functionalities, uncovering strategic acquisition opportunities, and enhancing innovation potential.

UNDERSTANDING VARIOUS SCENARIOS AND REQUIREMENTS:

Clients have diverse patent needs:

1. Acquisition: Our out-of-the-box approach uncovers unexpected opportunities for clients seeking relevant patents, helping them strengthen products and avoid infringement.

2. Selling: Clients wanting to sell patents can benefit from analyzing broad claims to identify potential infringing products across industries, widening their market for sales.

This approach maximizes opportunities for both acquiring and selling patents.

STEP #1 - IDENTIFYING PRODUCT KEY FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS:

• Conduct a detailed analysis of the client’s product.
• Focus on key features and functions.
• Break down the product into fundamental components.
• Identify broader technological principles applicable across industries.

STEP #2 - IDENTIFYING PATENTS:

• Expand Patent Search: Look beyond the immediate industry for patents with broad claims.

• Identify Common Principles: Analyze seemingly unrelated technologies that may share underlying principles.
• Focus on Functionality: Examine core functionalities in patent claims to explore potential adaptations for the client’s product.
• Leverage Advanced Tools: Use patent databases and analytics with cross-industry search capabilities.
• Broad Keyword Searches: Employ keywords based on core features to uncover patents with relevant applications across diverse industries.

STEP #3 - ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING BROAD CLAIMS:

After the above steps, the next steps are :

• Claim Interpretation: Carefully analyze broad claims from cross-industry patents to assess their relevance to the client’s product features and functions.

• Technology Mapping: Align identified patents with the core technologies and processes of the client’s product, focusing on broad claims that can be adapted to the product’s features.

 

STEP #4 - DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTING:

• Prepare a comprehensive report summarizing our analysis.
• Include immediate industry patents and cross-industry patents with broad claims.
• Incorporate analysis comments, figures, and relevant text.
• Deliver the report to the client for enhanced understanding and informed decision-making.

CONCLUSION:

The out-of-the-box approach to patent acquisition involves identifying broad claims in patents from other industries for effective product mapping. By leveraging advanced search techniques, and strategic analysis, we can uncover hidden opportunities for our clients. This innovative strategy not only strengthens the IP portfolio but also opens up new opportunities for cross-industry innovation and competitive advantage.