Section
Introduction to the course
Innovation is the commercialisation of an invention. This course on IP management presents methodologies for making decisions on which technologies should be developed and which IP assets be created. IP needs to be protected, but protection costs money, so it must be assessed within the overall context of innovation potential and enforceability. In a global market, the life-cycle management of patents on a worldwide basis is key to making best use of the patent system to gain and maintain competitive advantage.
In this course, you find five modules comprising each readings explaining the content, a recorded lecture and a quiz. Some modules also contain additional ressources complementing the training.
You will have the possibility of obtaining a certificate, after having passed the quizzes with a total rate of at least 70%. You can repeat the quizzes as often as you want.
If you want to take a quiz, you need to register in the European Patent Academy’s e-learning centre with your account and enrol to this course.
Please also read the curriculum of the whole series.
Innovation processes and systems
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Main purposes of this module:
- to connect the innovation environment to a dedicated patent-based innovation system methodology by describing the innovation process itself
- to provide an overview of a number of innovation styles ranging from structured brainstorming to open innovation
- to explain the role of IP in the innovation process
- to exemplify open innovation to clarify the benefit of a more broad-ranging perspective
Topics to be covered:
i. Capturing IP in the innovation process
ii. Different approaches - project management: Stage gate or Agile approach
iii. Open vs. closed innovation
iv. IP and the innovation process
v. IP and open innovation
vi. IP sub-processes - Invention handling process; IP licensing process; IP risk management processRead more about this module:
It is important that the innovation process is set up correctly so that IP can be successfully captured to the financial benefit of the firm/HTB whilst incentivising inventors (internal and external) appropriately in full compliance with the law.
Two main project management techniques are discussed. A stage-gate approach divides the process into distinct phases with decision points at each stage to review IP-specific tasks performed in the previous process phase in a disciplined manner. An agile approach, which stems from software development, allows adaptive planning and evolutionary development rather than focusing on delivering perfect finished products. Agile methods require more effort to integrate IP-related activities.
With the increasing complexity of technology, collaboration between technology partners is needed, complementing each other's competencies, with a shift from traditional, closed innovation within one firm to open, collaborative innovation between different partners. Managing the innovation process includes taking the right IP decisions at the right innovation stages associated with different uncertainties; at each stage the role of IP needs to be assessed. Various IP issues that need to be addressed when engaging in open innovation are reviewed in particular (IP environment, maturity, eco system, its role).
Sub-processes: the invention-handling process gives some guidance on how to handle the process of disclosing an idea/invention within a company or organisation. Different aspects of licensing agreements are briefly highlighted (see series 3, module 2 for an in depth discussion). IP risk management requires the systematic identification of IP-related risks and an approach to handling and monitoring them.
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In this module participants will be introduced to a number of innovation styles, IP decisions and process-control mechanisms, including the integration of IP-related activities into company innovation processes.
Speaker: Donal O’Connell (00:52:32h)
Take a quiz
Here you can take a quiz if you want to obtain a certificate. The questions refer to this video.
You need to register in the European Patent Academy’s e-learning centre and enrol to this course.
- to connect the innovation environment to a dedicated patent-based innovation system methodology by describing the innovation process itself
Economic aspects of innovation
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Main purposes of this module:
- to explain how a company's competitive position can be affected by its innovation strength and look at financial aspects
- to highlight the economic importance of IP-based industries
Topics to be covered:
i. Analysis of market and technology positions
ii. Economic relevance
iii. Venture capitalists & intellectual property
iv. Aligning money, fees, government support
v. How important are IP based industries in the economy?Read more about this module:
Various ways to analyse the market or the product/technology position as well as technology/innovation portfolios in view of economic parameters are presented.
While it is obvious that IPRs have economic relevance as a commercial tool, the IP situation of a company is also an important issue for venture capitalists when making investment decisions at a time with a high degree of uncertainty.
Once the innovation focus of a company is determined, developing the innovation typically requires significant funding (including public funding), budget planning and allocation.
Several studies have shown that IP-intensive industries contribute significantly to the benefit of (national) economies.
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This module looks at the economic aspects of innovation and its importance for IP-based industries. It focuses on the impact of IP on the market and technology positions of the IPowner, and how a company’s success correlates with its IP position. The module also discusses how to fund IP creation.
Speaker: Christian Hackl (00:59:23h)
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Here you can take a quiz if you want to obtain a certificate. The questions refer to this video.
You need to register in the European Patent Academy’s e-learning centre and enrol to this course.
More e-learning resources
This module will provide further, comprehensive insight into this topic.
Evaluation dimensions
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Main purposes of this module:
- to provide an introduction to and overview of the different valuation approaches, with an emphasis on the income approach
- to exemplify patent valuation on the basis of economic, technological and legal perspectives
Topics to be covered:
i. The legal perspective
ii. The technology perspective
iii. The market perspectiveRead more about this module:
A key requirement for valuable enabling technologies of products/solutions is the ownership of such technologies, which is gained through appropriate patents or utility models. The value of a technology is based on various aspects: the patentability of the technology, the risk of infringement, its traceability and its successful enforcement, and valuable licensing agreements based thereon.
From the technology perspective, the value depends to a large extent on the feasibility, risk/probability of success and development time. Other evaluation criteria are the potential gain of know-how through the idea and the advantage over existing technologies.
The market perspective looks at potential improvements in the competitive situation from the point of view of the customer, the competitor and the market. Special attention is given to disruptive innovation. In addition, complementary factors to generate income need to be taken into consideration.
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This introduction to evaluation dimensions considers legal, technology, market and strategic fit. The relevance of technologies and IP to a company’s future can be evaluated from these different perspectives.
Speaker: Malte Köllner (00:45:31h)
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Here you can take a quiz if you want to obtain a certificate. The questions refer to this video.
You need to register in the European Patent Academy’s e-learning centre and enrol to this course.
Critical reflection on the invention
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Main purposes of this module:
- to provide an overview of how inventions which are worthwhile to protect from a business perspective can be analysed to determine whether they are also protectable from a legal perspective
- to provide support in defining the technical problem, searching the invention and determining whether it is in line with the business strategy
Topics to be covered:
i. Identifying the best inventions
ii. Defining the technical problem
iii. Searching the invention - analysing prior art
iv. Reviewing whether it is still in line with the strategic business purpose
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Key requirements for patentable inventions are novelty and inventive step (non-obviousness). To obtain legally strong patents it is therefore advantageous to have a good understanding of the prior art before starting to draft the patent application.
Different databases, search tools and search strategies can provide complementary information on the prior art.
Prior art documents which relate to the same or a similar problem as the invention should be carefully analysed. Once the prior art has been established, a reassessment of the strategic relevance of the invention needs to be undertaken.
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This module looks at how to analyse whether inventions which are worth protecting from a business perspective can also be protected and enforced from a legal point of view.
Speaker: Robert Harrison (00:54:53h)
Take a quiz
Here you can take a quiz if you want to obtain a certificate. The questions refer to this video.
You need to register in the European Patent Academy’s e-learning centre and enrol to this course.
More e-learning resources
This module will provide further, comprehensive insight into this topic.
- to provide an overview of how inventions which are worthwhile to protect from a business perspective can be analysed to determine whether they are also protectable from a legal perspective
Patent filing tactics and managing the patent life cycle
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Main purposes of this module:
- to explain different patent drafting and filing tactics to cover the strategic markets of the innovator
- to explain how continuations and divisional applications can be used to tweak the scope of the patent claims during prosecution
- to evaluate the use of outside counsel vs. in-house counsel
Topics to be covered:
i. Drafting applications - geographic reach: national, regional or international?
ii. Filing strategies - continuations and divisionals
iii. Using outside counsel vs. in-house counselRead more about this module:
Various tactics are available to a company to protect an invention with international scope through the use of different filing options for different patents. The different requirements for national, regional and international filings are discussed.
Continuations and CIPs in the US and divisionals before the EPO can be used to tweak claims and keep applications alive in order to be able to adjust them to competitor solutions which have entered the market while the application is still pending.
Depending on circumstances, the use of either outside or in-house counsel can be advantageous.
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Participants will find out about different tactics for covering strategic markets, including how to use continuations and divisional applications to tweak the scope of the claims during patent prosecution. They will also find out about how to seek protection on a large geographic scale and how the costs involved in obtaining protection can be delayed.
Speaker: Robert Harrison (00:57:13h)
Take a quiz
Here you can take a quiz if you want to obtain a certificate. The questions refer to this video.
You need to register in the European Patent Academy’s e-learning centre and enrol to this course.
More e-learning resources
This module will provide further, comprehensive insight into this topic.
- to explain different patent drafting and filing tactics to cover the strategic markets of the innovator
IP And Open Innovation: Managing Technology Push And Pull
The basics of patent searching
Protecting your idea