Freedom to Operate (FTO) or Clearance Searches

The objective of conducting a Freedom to Operate (FTO) or Clearance Search is to proactively identify and mitigate potential patent infringement risks, as such risks could pose legal threats to the innovator or manufacturer involved. This ensures that a product, technology, or service can be commercialized without legal obstacles, making an FTO search an essential step before introducing any product, technology, or service to the market.

A Freedom to Operate search involves a comprehensive investigation that aims to identify whether a product, technology, or service infringes on any claim(s) of an issued and live patent/design or even a pending patent application(s). Besides supporting an inventor or company in finalizing a novel design early in the development phase before a substantial number of resources are invested, a robust FTO search can also highlight opportunities to license existing technology. This approach saves time and reduces the risk of litigation.

At Ingenious e-Brain, we assist our clients in comprehending the consequences of infringement and in avoiding litigation. We’ve been strategically supporting enterprises across various domains, including electronics and semiconductors, IoT, medical devices, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology, among others, to offer precise and objective FTO search opinions on a territory or a group thereof. Our team of expert patent analysts identifies active patent applications that specify claims, potentially leading to infringement risks for innovative products, services, or technologies.