Understanding Industry Patent Attorneys.
Designing technology and markets together.

The business model (BM) and platform-based industries have structures that can be easily imitated or give rise to similar services. In the early stages of a business, protecting the idea is crucial, while during the growth phase, an IP asset strategy is important, necessitating a strategy to design the entire structure around intellectual property. Willo has a representative patent attorney who is a former co-founder of a startup, who understands the business model and technology direction, and designs IP strategies tailored to the specific flows of the industry, including attracting investment, product launches, and pivots.

The IT and software industry is built on complex technical logic and functional implementation as key assets. It is essential to assess the patentability based on ‘what problems are being solved’ and ‘how it has been implemented’, which requires strategic design of claims. As the boundaries between technology and services blur with open source, APIs, and SaaS, clear IP strategies that prove not only technical descriptions but also functional differentiation are necessary.

The AI industry centers around the principles and implementations of technology such as model design, learning architecture, and inference methods. It is often misunderstood that the scope of what can be protected by patents is limited, but actual implementation methods, data flows, and input-output processes are all sufficiently protectable. Moreover, it is important to strategically integrate the construction and utilization of learning data and user experience (UX) in the design.

The fields of robotics and smart farming are driven by fusion technology that combines hardware and software. How to explain and protect the complex flow of technologies such as control systems for mechanical motion, sensor data processing methods, and automation structures is key to the IP strategy. A strategy that comprehensively protects not only hardware design but also control algorithms and service flows is necessary.

Manufacturing is an industry where various technologies such as equipment, processes, components, and materials work together. Patent protection can connect beyond simple design ideas to improvements in productivity, quality enhancement, and efficient process operation. Wilo understands the unique technological flow of manufacturing, including product design, production processes, and control systems, and designs precise and robust patents.

Small business owners, including self-employed individuals, solo entrepreneurs, and small brand operators, find it crucial to protect their brand and differentiate themselves in the early stages of their business. Trademarks, designs, and simple patents are all subjects of protection, allowing them to gain trust through intellectual property and to establish competitive strength against rivals. Strategies linked to government projects, local government support, and online platform operations are also considered.