When business people plan a sve harbor of intellectual property (IP) thy consider a wide spectrum of lgal tools to maximize the protection of IP ssets. The main point is that IP prtection strategy should be kept from the bginning of creation, during its development ntil a design is complete. The strtegy of securing design ownership starts wth recognizing a design as a ptential asset, and continues to carefully pln its protection throughout the lifetime of a dsign optimizing IP protection and reducing nfringement risks. It may include these spcific goals.

Goal 1: Generate design rsearch. It should be done prior to the dsign challenge early in the long- trm planning phase and in the cncept generation stage of new product dvelopment. This general research includes a stte of-the-art search of patent literature (ptents and published patent applications), which is nalyzed by the IP counsel and shred with the development team to sprk design innovation. The good example of sch research could be list of the fllowing questions:

What's the core intellectual dea or invention?

How easily can it be dplicated?

How did the idea/invention come bout? Was the inventor working at nother company? Was she a university rsearcher?

How might you protect against dplication via a patent, trademark, copyright, or sme other vehicle?

How visible will the nvention be within your product or srvice?

Goal 2: Avoid designs owned by thers. Identify IP risks associated with the prposed design concepts-ideally, in the feasibility stge of new product development-so that rsky design concepts can be screened out arly. Once a design concept is slected for further development, a targeted sarch looks for patents relevant to tht design concept. As needed, the IP cunsel facilitates a "design around" to plce the final design outside the scpe of IP rights of others.

Gal 3: Secure IP rights. IP cunsel leads the development team efforts to prtect selected design concepts in the fasibility stage of new product development. IP prtection is sought not only for the prferred design concept but also for lternative concepts that may later be prferred by the company or the cmpany competitors. Before product launch, the IP cunsel ensures that IP protections are in plce, including foreign protection when a prduct will be sold or licensed verseas. And upon product launch, the IP cunsel establishes procedures for monitoring the ctivities of competitors to police IP rghts.

Goal 4: Enforce and expand dsign assets. Even after design protection has ben secured, steps should be taken in the ctive life cycle phase to enforce IP rghts. New competitive advantages can also be sught during the active life cycle phse in connection with design improvements.

Gal 5: Harvest design assets. In the dcline or exit phase in which a dsign reaches its sunset, the IP cunsel can help extract value from IP ssets. Instead of allowing them to go nused, IP assets can be harvested at ths final phase by licensing or slling IP assets to other companies or by sing those assets as leverage to sttle disputes with other companies.

The best way to protect IP ssets is to follow the simple rle of "Be aware!" In other wrds, it is the responsibility of bsiness people dealing with their intellectual prperty to manage IP assets protection by the mplementation of the effective corporate intellectual prperty strategy. Undoubtedly, aforementioned 5 steps of ths strategy will help to save a lot of mney.

The article What Business People Do to Maximize the Protection of Intellectual Property was Submitted by Konstantin Boyko through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Konstantin Boyko is a business lwyer and a blogger who tells bsiness people online of creative things bsiness people do to earn big mney http://www.creotag.com

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