An IP strategy is really important for business to secure their assets. A Patent is one of the major Intellectual properties of a business. It adds business value, attracts investors, and will be beneficial for technical advancement. Patent strategies will be useful for a business to secure its inventions and also to stay competitive in the market. In the UAE, patent protection will provide exclusive rights to the inventors and prevent others from making, using, or selling the invention.
Additionally, a strong patent claim will ensure that your competitors won’t work around your invention. There are two major patent strategies, and they are the offensive and defensive patent strategies. Businesses should choose a relevant patent strategy based on their resources and business requirements.
What is an offensive and defensive patent strategy?
Offensive Patent Strategy in the UAE
An offensive patent strategy will help a business to achieve market control. Companies can secure a Patent for key technology and its relevant inventions so that they can prevent competitors from obtaining a Patent on the specified technology or invention. This type of patent strategy is really costly as it involves filing several Patent applications, and so this strategy should be chosen based on the resources and financial stability of the company.
The offensive Patent strategy will prevent others from entering the market, and the business will be able to generate revenue through licensing and litigation. This strategy will help businesses to achieve a competitive advantage and to achieve market dominance. So, a business needs to file a Patent application for a broad range of similar technologies to dominate the market; thus, the patent is utilised as a shield to prevent the entry of competitors in a specified domain.
The offensive Patent strategy will only be effective if you have good Knowledge regarding the competitive landscape and the proposed technology. Also, the business should have suitable resources to carry out the Offensive patent strategy. While spending money on market domination of a particular technology, you should anticipate future trends and how the technology will be useful to generate revenue.
Businesses should have a diverse patent portfolio to prevent competitors from entering the market, and for this, you can acquire patents from other businesses and also need to file patent applications on different aspects of a technology that you plan to obtain market control over. So offensive patent strategy can be a suitable choice for large companies with a good R&D budget.
The offensive patent strategy will help businesses to generate revenue through licensing, royalties, and court settlements. For instance, IBM has a large patent portfolio and generates good revenue through licensing. But ensure that you have the relevant data regarding the chosen technology and are capable of implementing relevant measures to control the market. Seeking the advice of IP professionals in the UAE will be helpful to mitigate the risk associated with the offensive patent strategy.
Defensive Patent Strategy in the UAE
A defensive Patent strategy is to prevent competitors from securing a patent on the same idea. This strategy is to prevent the business from costly legal disputes, which could affect the financial stability and reputation of an organisation. This strategy will ensure that the Patented invention is protected, and it can also prevent potential infringement claims. By developing a strong Patent portfolio, companies can prevent costly legal battles and also improve licensing opportunities.
Gathering relevant evidence and responding to Patent infringement and market monitoring are the significant elements of a defensive patent strategy. A defensive patent strategy is not focused on generating revenue, but it is used to prevent others from suing you for infringement.
Difference between an offensive and defensive Patent strategy:
One of the major differences between the defensive and offensive patent strategies is that the defensive patent strategy is cost-effective and can be easily implemented. Defensive patent strategy mostly focuses on the freedom to operate, while the offensive patent strategy is focused on market domination and preventing competitors from entering a specified technological domain.
Defensive patent strategy is used to secure the invention, while the offensive patent strategy is for the enforcement of IP rights. An offensive patent is focused on controlling the market access and then utilising it to generate revenue.
How can Jitendra Intellectual Property help businesses choose a Patent strategy?
Patent strategies are essential for businesses to improve the value of their intellectual property. Companies should choose a patent strategy by considering several things, such as market conditions, business goals, and the proposed technology.
A good patent strategy can help you manage and leverage the patent to stay competitive in the market by securing your Intellectual Property. Jitendra Intellectual Property can help businesses to execute patent strategies based on their requirements.
