Managing your intellectual property (IP) can seem like a daunting task at times. However, it can be easier than you think. We’ve put together 5 simple things you can do to make IP portfolio management easier and more efficient.
- Request client access to your attorneys’ case management system – this contains details of all of your applications and granted patents, trade marks etc, plus upcoming deadlines, all in one place (and it will be regularly updated)
- Ask your attorney to set up a regular (monthly/quarterly) meeting to discuss outstanding actions and upcoming deadlines – it’s a really efficient way to instruct your attorney.
- Form a patent board to review new invention disclosures and make decisions on whether to file patent applications – to be most effective you need to have the key decision makers on the patent board (usually CTO, CFO, IP manager/responsible) and meet regularly (monthly or quarterly, depending on how many inventions are being reported)
- Write a patent filing strategy detailing where (and whether) you will file patent applications for different areas of technology – next time you have a decision to make about where to file a patent application all you need to do is refer to your strategy. Ask your patent attorney to help you do this, looking back at what you have done before and what your business strategy is for the next 3-5 years
- Provide an Invention Disclosure Form for your engineers to complete to report details of new inventions to the patent board – your patent attorney can provide you with one that includes guidance on what they should include, so that the patent board has all the information it needs to make a decision and your attorney has all the information they need to draft a patent application.
If you’re looking for further advice on how to manage your IP portfolio or if you would like a template Invention Disclosure Form that you can use, email us hello@two-ip.com we will be happy to help.
