searching
Successful IP strategy depends upon a proper understanding of your technical and commercial market position within the prevailing competitive landscape.
This usually involves searching of prior IP rights and "mapping" the IP landscape to seek to ensure freedom to operate in target markets and the opportunity to protect innovation - including new manufacturing processes, products, services and brands - in those markets.
To these ends, Shelston IP provides a comprehensive range of specialist IP searching and watching services including:
- Patent, trade mark and design registrability searches to determine the options for IP protection in respect of proposed new products, processes, designs or brands, locally and internationally
- Patent, trade mark and design infringement searches to explore whether the manufacture or sale of proposed new products, processes, designs or brands may infringe prior third-party IP rights in particular jurisdictions
- Patent, trade mark and design name searches to explore the scope of current IP rights of particular competitors or other parties of interest
- Searches to ascertain the availability for use and registration of company, business and domain names
- Patent collection searches to explore the current state-of-the-art in particular fields of technology
- Watching services to monitor the progress or status of particular patent, trade mark or design applications or registrations
- Watching services to monitor the IP activity of specific competitors
- Watching services to monitor the IP activity in particular fields of technology or market sectors.
We can assist you to formulate an appropriate search strategy, integrated with your overall business plans, to help guide your research, product development or brand strategies. This can optimise the potential for effective IP protection and sustainable competitive advantage, while minimising the risk of infringement of prior rights.
