Defining Success

Defining Success

Procuring Patent Protection After Competitor Copying

A manufacturer of a machine analytics system

Situation

The CEO of our client called from a trade show and expressed great concern that a competitor was selling a machine analytical system that closely mirrored our client’s system.

Challenge

Our client learned that the competing system seen at the trade show had been introduced only recently by that company. Our client was concerned that its invention had been copied.

Approach

When informal talks with the competitor did not solve the situation, we worked closely with our client to obtain patent claims to establish the legal rights over its inventions. We also filed additional patents to expand these rights to address potential copying by others.

Result

Our client now owns several patents, which mark off with clarity the rights to its innovations. Like the descriptions in a real estate deed, the patents notify competitors that they must avoid trespassing on the rights which the government has granted.