Corporate Patent Strategy

• Author: Steven H. Voldman
• Profession: Is an IEEE Fellow and graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Pages: 229-242

From Invention to Patent: A Scientist and Engineer’s Guide. First Edition. Steven H. Voldman.

© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Published 2018 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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9.1 Introduction

Corporations, whether large or small, need to have a patent strategy to know what their

goals and requirements are going to be. In this chapter, corporate patent strategies are

discussed [1–12].

9.2 Review Committee System

Larger corporations have review committees to decide which inventions are suitable for

patenting. In a large corporation, the approval of an invention has to align with the

corporate goals [1–5].

In semiconductor development corporations, there can be many review committees

that are customized to a specific technology area or specialty. Here are examples of the

review committees:

● Semiconductor device committee

● Semiconductor interconnect committee

● Circuit design committee

● Manufacturing committee

● System committee.

Each committee is staffed with technologists that specialized in that subjec t matter.

The committee has a coordinator, as well as an in‐house patent attorney. The invention

disclosures are sent to the committee to begin the review process.

9.3 Database Patent Tracking System–World Patent

Tracking System (WPTS)

In a small corporation, the intellectual property (IP) team may consist of a single

attorney and a coordinator. Technical disclosure book s are used to document the

inventions.

In a large corporation, which processes many patents in parallel, it is important to

have a means of capturing inventions, an easy submission process, coordination

Corporate Patent Strategy