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ARTICLE · 08 AUGUST 2024

Using Global Patent Trends In Smart Manufacturing To Develop An Informed And Effective IP Strategy

Foley & Lardner LLP
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In today's global economy, product research and development (R&D) has historically been concentrated in the U.S. and China. However, these efforts are beginning to decentralize and spread into new regions.

United StatesIntellectual Property
Roberto J. Fernandez
Roberto J. Fernandez
Charles E Maurer III
Charles E Maurer III
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In today's global economy, product research and development (R&D) has historically been concentrated in the U.S. and China. However, these efforts are beginning to decentralize and spread into new regions, such as Japan and South Korea. This geographic shift in R&D investment is reflected in the increasing number of newly filed patent applications, each of which seeks protection of an invention in a specific country or jurisdiction. Below we discuss patent filing trends in smart manufacturing to inform the R&D strategies of today's top decision makers in this critical sector.

Introduction

Engineers and scientists of leading companies are constantly inventing new solutions to problems. This is particularly true in industries like smart manufacturing, which are core to modern economies. One option for seeking protection of an invention is to file a patent application related to that invention. This patent application is filed in one or more patent offices around

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