Protection of intellectual property (IP) is essential to the design of products. It offers a tactical edge, guarantees uniqueness, and deters copying. To secure your intellectual property, look for full protection, avoid infringement, do novelty searches, and think about licensing. Work together with the legal and design teams to reduce risks and maximize protection. Keep in mind that intellectual property protection is a continuous activity that needs strategic planning and close attention. Continue reading to learn more.

Three Stanford University students—Bobby Murphy, Evan Spiegel, and Reggie Brown—created Snapchat. With the feature of self-deleting images and videos, the three developed a social networking software that supported user privacy.

Then, in order to improve automation, personalization, user privacy, and account security, the creators patented a number of app technologies and features. For instance, they received patents for machine-powered content curation (the technology underlying the app’s “Live Stories” feature) and an IP-based intrusion detection method.

But, the software didn’t catch on immediately; a few months after its release, there were just 100 users. Teenagers everywhere began to take notice of it after one of the co-founders shared it with classmates. The younger users adored how some of the “goofy” pictures they shared on Snapchat vanished forever as soon as the receiver saw them.

The creators of Snapchat continued to develop the app and work on new patents, including those related to emotion recognition and augmented reality, which companies might utilize to improve user experience and customer service. They allowed businesses to market their goods to younger consumers while generating revenue from the sale of advertisements on the site. Currently, the app is a multimillion dollar business.

Software Patents on the Rise

In the world, Meta is the owner of 17753 patents. These patents are part of 6970 distinct families of patents. 15054 of the 17753 patents are currently in use. The “FAANG” group—Apple, Netflix, Alphabet (GOOG), Meta (formerly Facebook), Amazon, and Apple—is not surprised to see five of the biggest American tech companies listed in the top 20 patent holders. Startups, on the other hand, seldom get granted patents, and many of them never seek patents at all.

IBM registered 5400 machine learning patents between 2017 and 2021. Google came in third with 1342 applications, while Microsoft came in second with 2108. This beat both of them. With 921 applications, Capital One came in fifth place, followed by Samsung Electronics with 937.

49.6% of granted EPO patents were “software-related,” while 63.5% of issued U.S. utility patents in 2022 were software-related.

IP Management Strategies in Product Design

IP and product design are vital for each other. They serve as a kind of VIP pass that attests to the fact that your idea is actually novel rather than just a step that insiders can see coming. Your product must be an original concept in order to be accepted, not merely an updated version of an existing one. They prevent imitations by maintaining the distinctive characteristics, functionality, and special materials of your product.

Intellectual property protection is a tactical move in the intricate game of product design, not a checkbox on a list. The procedure, which entails a thorough comprehension of what may be safeguarded and how, is as complex as the designs it aims to preserve. Aesthetics and functionality frequently dance in a tight circle, and both are necessary for IP management for product development.

Here are some innovative IP protection strategies for product design:

  • Keeping It Novel and Steering Clear of Obviousness

In order to verify innovation, it is necessary to conduct a novelty search, which entails a thorough examination of already-existing items and patents to make sure the design in question is not just a copy of previous work. Because non-obviousness is more nuanced, the design must go beyond simple adjustments to achieve genuine innovation.

  • Avoiding Violation: A Designer’s Manual

A specter that hovers over the creative process is infringement. Designers must not only tread carefully in the clean seas of original creativity, but also avoid unintentionally entering the muddy waters of pre-existing intellectual property rights. Being alert is essential, and having a complete grasp of the environment can help enormously.

  • Aim for All-encompassing Protection

Collaborate closely with your legal and design teams to explore all potential modifications and features that could be protected when applying for patent protection for your inventions. Making the most of your legal defenses could discourage rivals from obtaining a license to copy your inventions, boosting the value and exclusivity of your portfolio of intellectual property. Make sure that the wording used in any patent claims appropriately represents the novelty of your discoveries by having your ID team leaders collaborate closely with patent attorneys.

  • Consider Licensing

Your company can grow its brand recognition and revenue streams by granting licenses for your intellectual property, one of the IP management best practices for product design. Licensing out your intellectual property carries some risk, though. Partner rights disputes are frequent, and licensing arrangements can be complicated. Another risk associated with sharing intellectual property is having your inventions reverse-engineered. Once more, interacting with IP experts is essential as it will assist you in establishing strategically advantageous alliances that preserve your ownership. Taking a proactive “trust but verify” stance in your collaboration can also assist in maintaining licensee compliance and averting IP infringement problems.

Closing Thoughts

The cornerstone of product design is intellectual property protection. It’s about protecting your creation with the strength of the law and the intelligence of strategy, not just about following the letter of the law. It is an endless path, but one that is rich in the benefits of invention and recognition for engineers and designers hoping to make a lasting impression on the market.

It doesn’t matter if you are just starting to work on your design or are polishing the finished product with a software product engineering company—the moment to consider intellectual property protection is now. The market moves quickly, and neither do others who might want to take advantage of your inventiveness without being fairly compensated. 

Kickstart your journey with an IP management software for product design. Let Tntra take the reins of your product development journey.

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