why use patent information?

Why use patent information?

Patent information is an important resource for researchers and inventors, entrepreneurs and commercial enterprises, and patent professionals. Patent information can assist users to:

· Avoid duplicating research and development effort;

· Determine the patentability of their inventions;

· Avoid infringement of other inventors’ patents;

· Estimate the value of their or other inventor’s patents;

· Exploit technology from patent applications that have never been granted, are not valid in certain countries, or from patents that are no longer in force;

· Gain intelligence on the innovative activities and future direction of business competitors;

· Improve planning for business decisions such as licensing, technology partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions;

· Identify key trends in specific technical fields of public interest such as those relating to health and environment and provide a foundation for policy planning;