NATURE OF THE INVENTION |
Does the invention relate to a new product or service? |
Does the invention relate to an improvement in an existing product or service? |
Does the invention relate to an improvement in the manufacturing or distribution of an existing product or service? |
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TECHNOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE |
The invention solves a problem only faced by Company’s particular approach. |
The invention solves a problem faced by Company’s major competitor(s). |
The invention solves a problem faced by the Industry at large. |
The invention provides a new capability for Company’s products. |
The invention provides a new capability for Company’s and major competitor’s products |
The invention provides a new capability for the products of the industry at large. |
The invention improves quality. |
The invention makes the product easier to use/more reliable. |
The invention makes the product safer. |
The invention reduces costs. |
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TIMELINESS |
The invention is being implemented. |
Implementation of the invention is scheduled. |
Implementation of the invention is planned. |
No immediate plans to implement the invention. |
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The invention is presently fully developed. |
The invention could be fully developed as a routine matter with minimal resources. |
The invention will require significant resources to completely develop. |
The invention will require a major project to completely develop. |
The invention is currently only theoretically possible. |
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COMMERCIAL SIGNIFICANCE |
The invention relates to a high volume, high profit product. |
The invention relates to a medium volume, high profit product. |
The invention relates to a high volume, medium profit product. |
The invention relates to a low volume, high profit product. |
The invention relates to a medium volume, medium profit product. |
The invention relates to a high volume, low profit product. |
The invention relates to a low volume, medium profit product. |
The invention relates to a medium volume, low profit product. |
The invention relates to a low volume, low profit product. |
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COMMERCIAL IMPACT |
DEMAND |
The invention creates an entirely new product or service. |
The invention involves a feature that makes the Company’s product critical to all or most customers |
The invention adds a feature that makes the Company’s product superior to all or most customers. |
The invention adds a features that is critical to an important subgroup of customers. |
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SALES |
The invention will make it more likely most consumers would purchase the Company’s product/service. |
The invention will make it more likely that some customers will purchase the Company’s product/service. |
The invention will allow the Company to sell other unrelated products. |
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PRICING |
The invention will allow the Company to increase prices. |
The invention will allow the Company to maintain prices. |
The invention will force competitors to reduce prices to compete. |
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NON-INFRINGING ALTERNATIVES |
The anticipated claim scope cannot be designed around. |
The anticipated claim scope cannot be designed around without considerable time or expense. |
The anticipated claim scope cannot be designed around without competitively significant delay or expense. |
The anticipated claim scope cannot be designed around without inconvenient delay or expense. |
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The non-infringing alternatives are equivalent. |
The non-infringing alternatives are acceptable. |
The non-infringing alternatives would be regarded as unsatisfactory to most customers. |
The non-infringing alternatives would be regarded as unsatisfactory to a significant subset of customers. |
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SCOPE OF PROTECTION |
The invention relates to entirely new technology with great prospects of patentability. |
The invention relates to a new application of technology with good prospects of patentability. |
The invention is a minor advance with surprising result and fair prospects of patentability. |
The invention is a minor improvement with a chance of patentability |
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The patent would be infringed by a single entity (vs. multiple entities acting together). |
The patent would be infringed in a single country. |
Infringements of the patent could be easily detected. |
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The Company is likely to enforce the patent against anticipated infringers. |
The Company might enforce the patent against anticipated infringers. |
The Company probably would not enforce the patent against anticipated infringers. |
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ALTERNATIVE PROTECTION |
The invention can be protected in whole or in part as a trade secret. |
The invention can be protected in whole or in part with copyright. |
The invention can be protected in whole or in part with trademark or trade dress. |
The invention can be protected in whole or in part with a design patent. |
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OTHER CONSIDERATIONS |
Patenting the invention is important to building/maintaining a portfolio. |
Patenting the invention is important to the marketing department. |
Patenting the invention is important to an important customer. |
Patenting the invention is important to a strategic partner. |
Patenting the invention is politically expedient (important to management). |
Patenting the invention is required by contractual obligation. |
Patenting the invention is useful as a defensive position. |
Patenting the invention could be useful in future licensing or cross-licensing. |