A Patent Is a House of Your Real Estate Project — Plan Intelligent, Build Strong

After talking about costs and decisions in my last post, I realized that filing a patent is a lot like building a house. However, while I always heard from my inventors that they “want a patent,” almost very few came with a full set of blueprints – where the features are most valuable.

A patent isn’t just a set of walls and a roof (claims and drawings). It’s a housing project that reflects how well you’ve planned for the future — and for some, it’s even more like developing real estate: you’re not just building for yourself, but creating something with market value that others will recognize and invest in.Before you pour the foundation, you should know who are the target occupiers moving in, how many floors you’ll need, and the plan for potential future developments.

Here’s how I often see it:

1. The Architect vs. the Builder
   Before anyone starts a housing project, an architect should be hired to plan and design the house before the construction crew moving in. That’s the role of a business IP consultant — someone who helps you think about your goals, not just your drawings. Many builders (patent drafting professionals) are very capable and I have no doubt they can do great work, but many follow a one-size-fits-all path. By default, every clients goes through the front door were recommended the same approach, whether it’s a startup trying to protect a new idea or an SME having a mature product seeking to become more attractive for an exit. When the approach is tailored to each company’s stage and goals, the result is a “developement” that would be more fititng.
   A well-planned claim set lets you expand in an intelligent and well-planned manner, instead of implusively randomly — as your business grows. The key is keeping sight of your end goal, so you don’t lose focus in the middle of patent prosecution when things get technical.
2. The Blueprint and the Budget
   A good patent plan starts with at least a basic understanding of two things: 1) your budget and 2) your future cash flow. Maybe you don’t need to build the entire development right now — you can start with a solid phase 1 development and leave room for future expansion phases. In patent terms, that means structuring your filings in phases, with continuations or divisionals or even a new research director for another patent family that builds on the first application.

Building a patent strategy is like managing any big project — the plans, the timing, and the budget all have to align. But for many inventors who wants to build a business, knowing where to start and what is coming can be the hardest part.

Want to Understand How knowing the value of your invention helps building your company’s IP portfolio?

That’s exactly why I built, together with Timothy, Synchrony IP — to guide innovators through these decisions with clarity and balance. Our goal is simple: to help you understand not just how to move forward, but whether you should, based on your business goals, budget, and long-term strategy.

Learn more about how we help inventors and companies make smarter patent decisions here.

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yau@synchronyip.com Principal

After training at Fish & Richardson, Yau led software and electrical engineering prosecution and portfolio development at a boutique patent firm in Austin, TX, where he successfully prosecuted approximately 30 patents to issue over 24 months. Mr. Chan represented clients worldwide before the USPTO & WIPO Yau Chan is now working from London, serving clients worldwide.

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