Unlock your IP

The role of intellectual property within a competitive environment is changing rapidly. Companies that align their IP portfolio with their business strategy can reach new levels of corporate success. But this can be a challenging and expensive process. That’s why CPA Global has developed a new patent analytics service, as Jason Resnick, manager of IP analytical services, explains.

For months now, you’ve been reading about IP asset management in IP Review and other industry magazines. You’ve seen the figures, the millions of dollars that some companies, such as Texas Instruments and Hewlett Packard, have been earning from their portfolio of IP Rights, and now your company has decided to get involved.

You know from what you’ve read that examining your portfolio, combing through the variety of rights you own to determine which ones are the most marketable, is the next step. But how do you go about finding the right portfolio analysis tool?

For most companies, auditing their portfolio has meant trying to search a multitude of different patent databases, a skilled and complex task, which is most effective when it is carried out by specialists. But searching is only the first step. Your results then need to be gathered together and analysed by a team of IP experts, who have a thorough understanding of the IP business, and an appreciation of what they say, strategically and commercially, about your industry.

This is no small investment for any company – recruiting such a multidisciplined team is difficult and too expensive to justify for all but the largest of corporations. Training existing staff is also a major investment and can take five months to achieve. Moreover, the software tools that are available on the market only do certain types of analysis. To gain an overall understanding, you would need to subscribe to a range of different packages, and the average cost of each package, in subscription fees, is well over US$10,000 per year.

That’s why CPA Global has created patent analytics, a new portfolio analysis service, that provides you with fast, accurate answers to questions you ask about your portfolio, competitors or industry trends, as well as insight into business and IP synergies.

CPA Global’s team of expert analysts is experienced in searching multiple data sources and using a range of software tools to seek out the answers you require, without you having to opt for expensive multiple licenses. We can provide reports that are tailored to a high level, delivering you more comprehensive results that are far more cost-effective and time-efficient. In fact, we can deliver the results you need, in a report format, in just 10 business days.

We search multiple data sources using a range of analytical tools to seek out the answers you require, without you having to opt for expensive multiple licenses. Our research is comprehensive, cost-effective and time-efficent. In fact, we can deliver the results you need, in a report format, in 10 business days

Patent intelligence reports
With a unique combination of proprietary software and business intelligence, our reports evaluate your IP as both legal and commercial assets in a competitive environment.

Our reports will indicate how portfolios have evolved, demonstrating the geographical distribution of your patents, the frequency of publishing, competitive pressures, patent expiry dates, and which individuals have been responsible for the most innovations.

We will also provide information on technology distribution and competitive trends, all in easy-to-access reports that are directed to a broad range of business functions, including IP core functions, research and development, marketing, business development and human resources. Our reports will highlight those technologies likely to provide the best return on investment, and help you focus your activities on the most lucrative markets.

If you opt to conduct analysis on competitors, you can specify comparisons of up to five players within a particular industry or sector. Designed to facilitate easy comparisons, these reports will indicate any trends or anomalies, key dynamics, such as market leaders and domestic versus international activity. The reports can also identify merger and acquisition targets, by highlighting trends and focusing on potential synergies. You will also be able to detect where potential infringements may take place and how to take appropriate action to manage and reduce these threats.

You can determine the comparison criteria, so you can quickly discover your own competitive positioning and react to any competitive threats or industry opportunities. And in addition to these powerful analytical tools, each report includes valuable expert commentary from CPA experts who are either patent agents or statistical analysts.

We have developed three service levels, reflecting the size of your company and the detail you require. These include:

1. A Capsule report, designed to provide an executive summary of each critical IP area and summary comment.
2. A Profile report which includes in-depth analysis and expert commentary.
3. An Extended report, designed for companies with over 15,000 records for analysis.

Tailored consultancy service
Our analytical experts also offer a tailor-made service to provide exclusive reports that meet your specific needs. You might, for example, wish to do a licensing evaluation project, or want to find out how co-branding with a strategic partner might help your business. In addition to providing tailored reports, we can also provide guidance on how to establish in-house IP management services, as well as recruitment, training and information service acquisition.

For more information, please contact the analytics team on +1 (703) 739 2234, e-mail or visit www.cpaglobal.com/analytics

This article first appeared in IP Review, issue 8