Patent Search Glossary: Unlocking IP for Business Growth

What is an Intellectual Property Strategy? An Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy is a comprehensive plan for acquiring, protecting, managing, and leveraging IP assets to maximize business value, secure competitive advantage,

What is a Patent Strategy? A Patent Strategy is a proactive approach to managing intellectual property (IP) assets to align with business goals, protect innovations, and gain a competitive edge.

What is a Patentability Search? A Patentability Search, also known as a Novelty Search, is a comprehensive review of existing patents and prior art to determine whether an invention meets

What is a Patent Landscape? A Patent Landscape is an in-depth analysis of patent data across a specific technology, industry, or market to identify trends, competitive positioning, and opportunities for

What is International Preliminary Examination? International Preliminary Examination (IPE) is an optional phase in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) process that allows applicants to obtain a detailed examination of their

What is an International Search Report? An International Search Report (ISR) is a formal document issued during the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) process that provides an initial assessment of the

What is a Regional Patent? A Regional Patent is a type of patent application that allows inventors and businesses to seek protection in multiple countries within a specific region through

What is the Paris Convention? The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property is an international treaty established in 1883 that provides a framework for patent, trademark, and industrial

What is the National Phase? The National Phase is the stage in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) process where an applicant enters specific national or regional patent offices to seek

What is the World Intellectual Property Organization? The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for promoting and protecting intellectual property (IP)

What is the European Patent Office (EPO)? The European Patent Office (EPO) is the official patent-granting authority for European patents, responsible for examining and granting patents under the European Patent

What is the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)? The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is an international treaty administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that allows inventors and businesses to

What is Patent Dispute Resolution? Patent Dispute Resolution refers to the legal and administrative processes used to resolve conflicts over patent rights, including infringement claims, ownership disputes, licensing disagreements, and

What is Patent Litigation? Patent Litigation is the legal process by which patent owners enforce their rights through lawsuits against parties accused of unauthorized use, manufacturing, selling, or importing a

What is Patent Reexamination? Patent Reexamination is a legal process that allows a patent’s validity to be reviewed by the patent office after it has been granted. This process is

What Is Indirect Infringement? Indirect infringement occurs when an individual or entity aids, induces, or contributes to another party’s direct infringement of a patent without actually performing the infringing act

What is an Infringement Lawsuit? An Infringement Lawsuit is a legal action filed by a patent holder (plaintiff) against an alleged infringer (defendant) for unauthorized use, making, selling, or importing

What is Willful Infringement? Willful Infringement occurs when an individual or company knowingly infringes a patent with reckless disregard for the patent holder’s rights. Unlike standard Direct Infringement, which can

What is Contributory Infringement? Contributory Infringement occurs when an individual or entity knowingly supplies a component, product, or material that is specifically designed for use in an infringing product or