How to efficiently manage your Intellectual Property

However, it is not just the technology that matters; you must place equal value on how you employ it. Here is your guide to finding the right software, approach and outcomes for your organization.

The right software: powerful and purpose-built

The first step in efficiently managing your IP is choosing a software solution that was specifically designed for this purpose. Such a tool will not need to be tweaked, massaged or manipulated to handle portfolio data; instead, it will take disparate and complex elements of the IP world and unite them in one interface that even beginners can navigate confidently. 

Another benefit of bespoke software is its built-in intelligence capacity. For example, DIAMS iQ by Dennemeyer boasts an impressive library of country law rules spanning 220 jurisdictions and more than 5,500 due-date calculation guidelines. A specialist Country Law department keeps this information updated, which means end users can rely on its accuracy.

Security, services, streamlining

For added versatility and efficacy, purpose-built software should integrate with professional services to enhance IP management without creating a patchwork situation. Exemplifying this, DIAMS iQ is fully embedded in the Dennemeyer ecosystem, meaning users can make renewal decisions, enjoy fully automatic record synchronization, access import data and more from a single interface.

Finally, you must consider security and compliance when choosing an IP Management System (IPMS). The sensitivity of legal frameworks governing the IP world means this should not be an afterthought. For instance, DIAMS iQ can be hosted on highly secure Dennemeyer servers in Luxembourg or local servers in a client's area, depending on regulations. This gives users full control of system and database management, meaning they can build compliance into their IP management from the ground up.

Of course, choosing IP software is only the first step. To manage IP proficiently, you also need to appreciate the scale of the task and understand how to leverage the technology available.

The right approach: IP challenges and software solutions

Even the best-organized teams struggle to maintain an ad hoc document management system that caters to creation, customization and secure shared access, particularly at the volumes IP portfolios demand. Fortunately, software like DIAMS iQ allows for the generation and interlinking of functionally limitless assets in a fully unified electronic filing system. Complete with detailed folder structures, version control, automated reports and Optical Character Recognition to read scanned PDFs, DIAMS iQ makes IP data both practical and accessible.

The natural next step is parsing all of this information in a management setting where every delay could lead to missed deadlines and potentially lost rights. To address this, you will need a highly configurable search function for flexible, in-depth reporting. DIAMS iQ delivers built-in tools to save search criteria as templates so IP managers can run queries multiple times and across teams, allowing everyone to find the information they need to meet diverse goals.

Following this, IP managers need to ensure that these searches do not merely echo in-house knowledge. To gather precise, useful and up-to-date insights, you must compare against outside data. DIAMS iQ fills this need through APIs with the European Patent Office's Espacenet database and the trademark register at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. These digital tools respectively provide a direct line to published data on patents and trademarks, and hence, critical decision-making context. All users have to do is enter some basic inputs, such as a filing number. 

Advancing productivity

Of course, when it comes to work capacity, you must also find ways to simplify tasks and offload repetitive efforts. With DIAMS iQ, this means automating payment due dates and notifications. The system uses information like official notices of trademark registrations or patent filings / grants to determine relevant actions and events, track corresponding deadlines and send reminders. 

While many workflows can be made less taxing with software, human error remains an issue. Here, again, automation lays the groundwork for the remedy, but it must be applied thoughtfully to empower rather than hinder your teams. For example, though manual data entry is a task as monotonous as it is error-prone, overly complex digital solutions may add to the confusion. Fortunately, DIAMS iQ includes a comprehensive tool for merging data like registration dates, inventor names and contact details into documents or emails, thus reducing the risk of human mistakes without introducing convoluted processes. 

Your final consideration draws all of these challenges and solutions into one: collaboration. Using document management, search tools and an integrated country-law engine as its foundation, DIAMS iQ creates a shared digital workspace for all skill levels. This helps facilitate vital processes at every stage of the IP life cycle, including ideation, payment management, communication with external agents and technology transfer. The result is a cooperative IP software environment that enables both teams and tasks.

Interconnected platforms

The path to impactful innovation is rarely a straight line. To support organizations along the way, Dennemeyer provides three web-based platforms to complement DIAMS iQ's core features: 

• DIAMS Invent: Management for an invention's progress from ideation to patenting
• DIAMS Collaborate: Secure document exchange
• DIAMS Direct: Read-only access to assets for reporting purposes

Taken together, these platforms form a comprehensive IP software suite; individually, they offer a modular structure that can be customized to the user's specific needs.

The right outcomes: tips for managing IP with DIAMS iQ

As with any software, it pays to know what your chosen IPMS is capable of. That is why Dennemeyer provides Implementation Services to steer and simplify the set-up process. From in-depth requirement analysis and solution consulting to full project management, software configuration and data migration, Dennemeyer's experts support clients every step of the way. 

Once the suite is up and running, users are able to create category taxonomies with an unlimited number of subcategory levels, link anything to anything and use the strong search engine to generate detailed patent lists spanning different criteria. 

However, even the best features can be held back by a rigid framework that is unable to adapt to a business's circumstances. The DIAMS modular design makes each installation its own system, allowing organizations to configure every detail to match different portfolios and internal structures. This aids with everything from access control and role management to workflow handling and approval documentation, keeping teams focused by building digital environments that cater to their requirements and objectives.

Since IP management itself does not stand still, it is equally important for DIAMS to prioritize agility. Easy to scale in size and functionality, the suite is built to expand seamlessly without the need to reimplement a completely new arrangement. In this way, the software allows businesses to move quickly and flexibly in a highly competitive IP scene.

Ultimately, the secret to success in IP management is understanding what you need, what solutions are available and how to use them. The easiest way to achieve this is through exploration and experimentation — so book your DIAMS iQ demo and get started today.