TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Patent document as a source of technological information.

Technological research is a search for patents carried out in databases in Brazil and abroad. In this type of research, we provide complete copies of all documents found and a technical opinion on the result, which depends on the purpose for which the research was carried out.

The documents found in a technological research are a valuable source of information because they can serve as a basis for developing new technologies. In addition, they indicate the type of technology that is being protected by competitors, show an overview of technological trends in the world, and can also provide ready-made solutions that have not been patented in Brazil and that are free for reproduction by any interested party.

Reasons for doing technological research:

1 – Worldwide, companies spend large sums of money reinventing technologies that were previously patented by third parties and that, in the end, cannot be used due to the exclusivity held by the holders of these patents. Therefore, the realization of a technological research, before the beginning of any project, not only prevents the company from spending resources reinventing technologies that already belong to third parties, but can provide subsidies to develop its own solutions to the problem, which can also be the object of patent.

2 – Only 30% of the technology produced abroad is also protected in Brazil. The remaining 70% are in the public domain in our country and can be reproduced by anyone interested.

a) Technological research reveals numerous technologies that were not protected in Brazil and can be legally reproduced and used by any interested party, without this constituting a crime or having to pay for use.

b) Technological research also reveals all countries where a certain technology is protected and which countries are in the public domain, therefore, it reveals to which countries a certain product (free for reproduction in Brazil) can be exported and to which it cannot.

3 – Any invention, provided it is new, can be protected in our country and abroad. The technological research reveals all relevant previous documents that may be impeding the application, to determine whether it is feasible to obtain a patent.

4 – Every day patent applications are filed in Brazil that have as object products already existing abroad, aiming to obtain exclusivity in our country. Technological research makes it possible to find foreign patent documents that can be used to prevent the granting of a patent or cancel granted patents, eliminating undue restrictions on the market.