Finding patent information in unusual places
Ron Kaminecki
Thomson Scientific
This article was originally published in the June 2006 issue of R&D Magazine.
In the counterintuitive world of intellectual property management, the twin goals of promotion and secrecy often find themselves in conflict. It's a classic conundrum: companies need attention for their newest innovations to keep investors intrigued, recruit top developers, and establish credibility, yet if they plan to seek patent protection for these ideas, even the slightest information leak can sink the whole ship. While there is still no sure-fire solution to hush overzealous marketers or ward off competitors, a bit of carefully guided homework can help companies avoid complete financial disaster.
The key to locating potentially damaging information before too many development dollars are wasted chasing futile patent applications is a thorough patentability search. Done correctly, it is a methodical hunt for prior art, or information about an invention published one year or more prior to a patent filing. If prior art exists, your invention is not patentable. If it does not, you're in business . . .
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