Effective Patent Strategies for the Protection of Research Results

Abstract

Objective: This study provides strategies of how to effectively convert an invention, created at universities or government-funded research institutes, into a strong patent with the clear understanding of its unique technological characteristics. Background: Regardless of the amount of research funds available in our country and the decent number of intellectual property rights created using the funds, there was a deficit of more than KRW 6 trillion in the technology trade balance related with intellectual property rights in the year of 2014. One of the reasons was that the vast number of patents that were being produced by universities or by governmentfunded research institutes were merely performance-based patents, namely, so called "patents for patents". Another reason is that developed technology from research and development could not be transformed into a strong patent right properly due to the lack of related knowledge. Method: After reviewing various references mentioned on the patent strategies, the definition of a strong patent and the strategies of producing a strong patent for an invention drawn out from research performance will be supplied. Results: To produce a strong patent right at universities or government funded research institutes, one should use strategies for strong specifications, strategies of product patents and method patents, strategies of patent portfolios, strategies of know-how, strategies of inventions defined by numerical limitation and strategies of parameter inventions for a more strategic approach. Conclusion: Strong patent rights will be produced with the use of effective patent strategies provided in this study. Application: It is estimated that the results of this study will aid the establishment of strong patents for inventions developed by research performance at universities or government-funded research institutions.