Which new ideas are worthy of a patent application?
How should the applications be drafted and prosecuted?
When should they be filed?
Where in the world should they be filed?
How long should applications and granted patents be
maintained?
A systematic answer to these questions is provided by a patent
strategy. A patent strategy is part of an overall intellectual
property (IP) strategy. It is usually the most important part of
such a strategy for technology-based companies. The IP strategy
should follow the company's R&D strategy which in turn
should follow its overall business strategy.
Developing a Patent Strategy
The development of a patent strategy must take into account the
specific situation and circumstances of the business. It is,
however, possible to set out some general considerations.
