Product Companies Must Shift Patent Strategy as Inventions Go Digital

Overview:

As traditional product companies move to offer digital products and services, they need new patent strategies. A shift to include both freedom-to-operate and freedom-of-action IP strategies will enable them to cost-effectively create a competitively advantaged position for both their core hardware and new digital/software business lines.

Keywords::

• Intellectual property
• Freedom of action
• Freedom to operate
• Prior-art
• Digital products

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul Germeraad

Paul Germeraad is editor of BusinessInnovationManagement.com, a best innovation and IP practices resource. Previously, he was president of Intellectual Assets, Inc., COO of Aurigin Systems, vice president of Corporate Research for Avery Dennison Corporation. He held various R&D management positions at James River and Raychem Corporations. Paul has a BA from University of California, San Diego, a PhD in chemistry from University of California, Irvine and an LLB degree from La Salle Extension University. He is past board chairman of the Industrial Research Institute, trustee for the Licensing Executives Society, and listed by IAM as one of the world’s 300 leading IP strategists. He holds over 15 US patents, 24 foreign counterparts, is contributing author to two books, and has written more than two dozen articles. [email protected]