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TopPatent information is not the only source of information that can stimulate innovation but it is one of the most important. This is mainly due to its detail, depth, timeliness and coverage, constituents (description, schematics, drawings, charts), analysis of the state of the art, external inputs of experts that complement and enrich the document (patent examiners and their research reports), among others.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Creative Imitation: The strategy followed by some companies that imitate something already existing but adding value. Often the imitator has the ability to foresee, better than the original creator, how the product or service can be best suited to meet the needs of consumers, changing it to match this observation.
Sustainability: The ability of producing goods and conduct business without exhausting nature’s resources and polluting the environment or, if not totally possible, do the less harm and take measures to compensate the harm done. Can also be used to designate the ability of an organization of being capable of maintain itself on operation, generating profits and doing the best that it can for every stakeholder and shareholder.
Invention: The creation or discovery of a new idea, including the concept, design, model creation or improvement of a particular piece, product or system. Even though an invention may allow a patent application, in most cases it will not give rise to an innovation.
Serendipity: the ability to make important discoveries by accident. Not all the ideas for new products or processes appear voluntarily and intentionally. Sometimes a mixture of luck and preparation provides valuable discoveries. A serendipitous discovery results from the combination of a happy coincidence with perspicacity.
Creativity: Creativity is based on reasoning that produces imaginative new ideas and new ways of looking at reality. Creativity is an individual process, arises from the idea that popped into someone's head. Relates facts or ideas without previous relationship and is discontinuous and divergent. No Creative Process exists if there is no intention or purpose. The essence of the Creative Process is to seek new combinations.
Innovation: The application of new knowledge, resulting in new products, processes or services or significant improvements in some of its attributes. When a new solution is brought to the market to solve a problem in a new or better way than the existent solutions.
Patent Information: During the process of registration and grant of a patent, the official entities like the USPTO, EPO or WIPO, will generate one or more legal documents that are called patent literature. These documents contain information that is referred to as patent information.