Intellectual property is an important intangible asset, which occupies an increasing proportion in enterprise value.According to OCEAN TOMO, an intellectual capital merchant banking firm,in 1975, 83% of the market capitalization of S&P 500 companies was taken by tangible assets (plants, machinery, real estate, etc.). While in 2015, 84% of the market capitalization are determined by intangible assets,mainly intellectual property.
As the competitiveness of enterprises, patent is an important part of enterprise intellectual property management.Enterprises should be aware of the important value of patents. They need to take efficient measures to explore and layout patents so that they could promote the development of enterprises in the long term.In view of patent exploration and layout, enterprises should pay attention to planning, play a linkage role, and enhance the value of patents.
1.The significance of patent exploration and layout:
Effective patent exploration and layout can avoid the loopholes of patent protection in R&D results, and can form a comprehensive, sufficient and effective patent portfolio for technological innovation.And most Chinese enterprises lack the awareness of active patent exploration and layout, and scientific patent exploration can extend the scope of patent protection to all the points of patentable value, and form a close patent network of strategic significance through reasonable layout.Moreover, it can also deal with the core patents of competitors, increase the reserve of high-value patent resources, and improve the enterprise's own patent risk warning and effective response ability.
2.How do enterprises carry out patent exploration and layout?
1) The concept of patent exploration:
Patent exploration is the premise of patent layout and patent portfolio construction.From the perspective of the whole process of patent exploration, patent exploration is essentially an process of sweeping away the sand and separating the wheat from the chaff. And the first prerequisite for the implementation and development of this process is adequate access to a large number of basic raw materials for screening and filtering -- a variety of technological ideas and invention ideas. Only with a considerable number of technical ideas and invention ideas, is it possible to select technical innovation points with high technical and commercial value as candidates for future patent applications.
2)The concept of patent layout:
Patent layout is the careful planning and overall arrangement of patent application work. Through the selection of patent application time, region and ways, and the planning of patent protection content, the patent portfolio is strategically deployed. It is a patent strategic behavior with purpose, planning and strategy.
