Freedom-to-Operate: Analyst patent search
Understand and mitigate the risks before bringing a new product to market, with RWS’s robust FTO Search.
Whether you are a law firm partner or a corporate IP department, we will support you to provide your legal opinion regarding potential Infringement risks. Avoid leaving yourself open to damaging disputes and ensure you are making a sound investment in your product.
About RWS’s Freedom to Operate Analyst Search
We understand that bringing a new product to market comes with potential risks. Our FTO Search solution combines cutting-edge technology with the expert knowledge of our experienced analysts.
The critical features of your proposed new product or technology will form the objective of our Freedom to Operate search strategy. We will identify patent applications and granted patents relevant to the search by mapping the technical scope of each set of claims reviewed onto your proposed new technology. We will then provide a thorough report to help guide your opinion.
RWS: Experts you can trust
Our commitment to quality
RWS has been providing IP research services for more than six decades, during which time FTO work has remained a cornerstone of our offering. Every project is overseen by a team of highly experienced analysts, who work to ISO-9001 certified search protocols. The service is further enhanced via the use of market-leading technologies, ensuring you receive the highest-quality results.
A UK-based Analyst Search team you can trust
Our analyst team is comprised of graduate scientists and engineers, many with post-graduate qualifications. They each bring an average of 15 years’ experience in IP research. We can perform searches in a range of languages, and our in-house team includes native speakers of English, French, German and Chinese.
Our analysts are accustomed to working with IP legal professionals, including law firms and in-house counsel, and have a firm understanding of the processes, needs and challenges of our customers. We bring the search expertise to help you deliver your legal opinion with confidence.
Process matters
We assign a minimum of three analysts to every FTO search. Searches are allocated only to experienced analysts who are well-versed in our search methodology
Supported by Technology
Search results are delivered via our IP research platform, AOP Connect. Here you can access, manage, and store all information relevant to your project. AOP Connect provides:
- Results review tools.
- Tagging and commenting functionality to keep track of your review notes, with the option to export to Excel, enabling offline working.
- Search and filter functionality to help identify the most relevant results (from across all of your search activity with RWS).
- Legal status information - embedded links provide access to patent registers for the most up to date information.
- Access to Analyst Search team reports.
FTO – the broader picture
The process of bringing a product to market often involves additional search activities alongside FTO. The RWS IP Research team can provide the necessary support here too. These services include:
- Landscape Analysis/State-of-the-Art (SotA) search. If you are looking to develop new products, or target allied sectors with existing products, a landscape search is ideal. It provides you with the intelligence you need to make informed decisions, particularly in the product design (R&D) phase.
- Novelty/Patentability search. Conducted as part of the FTO study, a Novelty/Patentability search can help confirm the presence of valuable IP believed to reside in the new product.
- Invalidity search. This can form an integral aspect of an FTO program to help clear a path to market, confirm licensing needs, etc. by stress testing relevant results.
- IP Monitor. Track competitor patent activity and monitor innovations in your field. This service can serve as a vital early warning of emerging threats ahead of product launch.
