— Freedom to Operate Search & Analysis
Know your infringement risk before you go to market.
Our Freedom to Operate search service delivers a thorough, defensible analysis of in-force third-party patents, so you can make commercialization decisions with full legal awareness and move forward with confidence.
— Why it matters
What an undetected blocking patent actually costs you.
You find out at launch, not before.
A blocking patent discovered after tooling is locked and inventory is staged is no longer a search problem — it’s a litigation problem.
Willful infringement exposure multiplies the damages.
Without a documented clearance effort, a finding of infringement can trigger treble damages and fee shifting.
The design-around window closes.
A conflict that costs $50K to resolve at the prototype stage can cost $5M — or a product line — after launch.
— Team Credibility
A team built for this work.
Domain experts, not generalist researchers.
Our analysts bring decades of real-world technical and legal experience to every EoU engagement, including a former USPTO Patent Examiner, a registered US patent agent with Fortune 500 prosecution experience, and senior engineers with deep domain backgrounds across mechanical, chemical, electrical, and software disciplines. That technical fluency shapes how we scope each study, evaluate what is relevant, and build work product that holds up under scrutiny.
— What You Receive
A complete, defensible FTO report.
Each FTO study is a structured, confidential PDF report covering a comprehensive search of in-force patents and published patent applications relevant to your product or technology, delivered in 5-10 business days. Your report includes:
Summary of Invention
A clear articulation of the product, process, or technology being assessed and the key features under review
Search Methodology
Documented search strategy including keywords, CPC/IPC classification codes, and all query strings used, with full scope of coverage noted
Jurisdictional Coverage
Targeted search across patent authorities including USPTO, EPO, WIPO/PCT, CN, KR, JP, and more, with English translation of foreign references
Results Summary
An organized table of relevant patents and published applications with publication numbers, titles, dates, assignees, and legal status
Bibliographic Data & Citations
Full citation records with relevant excerpts from each reference, cited exactly as they appear in the source document
See exactly what a completed FTO study looks like.
Download a real sample report and walk through the structure, citations, and analysis methodology before you commit.
— How it works
A rigorous process. A trusted partner.
Every search is scoped to your product, jurisdictions, and timeline.
01
Consultation
Scoping & Alignment
A free scoping call to understand your product or technology, the jurisdictions of commercial interest, and any known risk areas, so the search is focused on the claims landscape that matters most to your situation.
02
Search Strategy
Custom Search Plan
We build a custom keyword, classification code, and semantic search plan targeting in-force patents and published applications across your relevant jurisdictions, with initial results used to identify the most active assignees and technology areas.
03
Claims Analysis
Expert Review
Multiple query iterations refine the results set. Our analysts conduct a full claims review of relevant publications, assessing whether claim language could read on your product, process, or technology. Our search combines AI-powered tools—including IP.com’s own platform—with rigorous human analyst review, so no relevant reference gets missed and every finding is grounded in expert judgment.
04
Delivery
Confidential Report
A structured, confidential PDF report with full citations, documented search strings, and a results summary organized by publication number, assignee, and legal status, delivered in 5-10 business days.
14K+
Research & analysis searches completed to date
5-10
Business days to delivery
From scoping call to final report
ITAR
Compliant US-based analysts
Every search, every engagement
— use cases
When to Commission an FTO Study
Pre-Launch Clearance
Assess infringement risk before committing to a product launch or commercial rollout.
Product Development Checkpoints
Identify potential blocking patents early, while design-around options are still available and inexpensive.
Startup & Funding Prep
Demonstrate IP risk awareness and clearance diligence ahead of a fundraising round or acquisition discussion.
Licensing & Acquisition Due Diligence
Evaluate the freedom to use a technology you’re considering licensing in or acquiring.
Ongoing Portfolio Management
Monitor the competitive patent landscape for new filings that could affect existing or planned products.
Law Firm Outsourcing
Trusted search capacity with the technical depth for complex, multi-domain clearance work.
— Get started
Know where your product stands before you go to market.
Every engagement begins with a free consultation. We’ll learn about your patent, align on claims and scope, and provide a clear timeline and quote before any work begins.
No commitment required
— Related Services
Freedom to Operate (FTO) Services
Determine whether your product or technology can reach market without infringing active third-party patents across the jurisdictions that matter most.
State of the Art Search Services
Surface the full body of existing knowledge in a technology space — patents, literature, and competitive filings — to inform R&D direction before development begins.
Evidence of Use Services
Map patent claims to real-world products and processes already in market, supporting licensing negotiations, monetization strategy, and enforcement decisions.
Patent Landscape Services
Get a visual, analyst-curated picture of who’s filing in your space, where activity is concentrated, and where competitive whitespace exists.
Patent Invalidity/Validity Search
Challenge or defend the validity of a specific patent with a rigorous prior art search built for IPR proceedings, litigation, and acquisition due diligence.
Patentability Search Services
US-based analysts assess whether your invention is novel and non-obvious before you commit time and budget to prosecution.
