Example - FTO Opinion Work

Freedom To Operate Opinion

 

l  Purpose

 

This is a proposal for conducting a full FTO search and analysis for the technology a bottle with a "juicer" lid of provided by the client in Korea market.

 

l  Search Scope

 

The scope for searching the prior arts is limited to the registered Korean Designs, Patents and Utility Models, which still exist valid.

 

l  Delivery Schedule

 

Our work starts when the client’s assent to our proposal reaches us, and completes after 14 consecutive days from our start as long as there is no further discussion in terms of due date.

 

l  Working Procedure

    

Our working procedure consists of three steps as follows.

Step1: Preparing for searching the prior art – 3 days

 

1-1: Grasping client’s technology

1-2: Identifying sub-elements of the technology

1-3: Summarizing the technical features for each sub-element

1-4: Determining the searching method considering keyword, design and patent classification, patentee, etc.

 

Step2: Narrowing down the searched prior art – 5 days

 

2-1: Searching the prior arts based on the respective technical features

2-2: Excluding inappropriate prior arts from the searched prior arts in terms of the client’s technology

2-3: Excluding the expired prior arts from the searched prior arts by examining the database operated by Korean Intellectual Patent Office (KIPO)

2-4: Analyzing the rest of the searched prior arts and classifying them by technology

 

Step3: Performing infringement analysis and Finalizing – 6 days

 

3-1: Deciding relevance between the client’s technology and the prior arts which are narrowed down to through Step2

3-2: Establishing a group of prior arts (“essential prior arts”) which have high relevance as a result of 3-1

3-2: Analyzing infringement and design-around issues by comparing the claims of the essential prior arts with the client’s technology

3-3: Making a final report

 

l  Cost Estimate

    

If you accept our proposal, we would assign a Korean patent attorney who has expertise in FTO area. When it comes to the billing rate for our patent attorney who is fit for above conditions in our firm, at least 200 USD per hour is normally charged.