Mastering intellectual property

Sopheon has introduced a subscription-based offering that it says will help companies develop, manage and commercialize intellectual property (IP). The program involves patent analysts and a proprietary network of scientific, technical and industry experts who can provide users with targeted intelligence and analysis needed to maximize the return on IP investments.

The company says the new program assists clients by evaluating the commercial viability of existing intellectual property, supplying information to support the formulation of patent strategies and helping to define approaches for the commercialization of IP. Sopheon says the cornerstone of the offering is a team of experienced patent analysts with industry-specific knowledge in providing support for IP decision-making.

Sopheon's new service is designed to answer such questions as:

• Should a newly developed technology be patented or treated as a trade secret?

• Should a potential patent be filed, published or disregarded?

• Should an existing patent be maintained, abandoned or sold?

• Should needed intellectual property be developed internally or acquired?

• Should a current patent be reissued or reexamined?