What are the risks of offshoring patent drawings?
Offshoring Patent Drawings or other IP Legal Services can put your clients at risk of patent infringement and intellectual property theft.
When Patent Drawings are outsourced to countries with lower labor costs, there are sometimes language barriers and the quality and accuracy of the drawings can sometimes suffer. This can lead to essential details being left out, incorrect dimensions, or other errors that could make it difficult or impossible for the patent to be enforced.
Additionally, many countries, especially those in developing regions, may have a higher quantity of issued patents, but have weaker laws and enforcement for protecting intellectual property.
Third, the violation of Non Disclosure Agreements in other countries who lead in manufacturing can produce products at a much faster rate. Now with online stores such as Amazon and Alibaba, many U.S. inventors are having a difficult time pinning down infringers due to fake addresses, names, accounts, and other contact info.
Fourth, if you are trying to get a U.S. Patent and you or your patent attorney offshore Patent Illustrations or other IP Legal Services, the protection of your patent only covers the U.S. and no protection is granted in the countries those services were rendered making it easier for infringement.
Fifth, Patent illustrations have been offered by risky offshore companies as low as ~$25 or lower per figure. If you multiply that by the average amount of drawings needed for a Design Patent say seven figures, that's a total cost of ~$175.
Here at SNS Patent Drafting and many other U.S. Patent Illustration companies charge around ~$75 per figure depending on complexity for a Design Patent. This would mean the total cost for seven figures would be roughly ~$525. That's a difference of ~$350. The average patent costs roughly ~$8,000 to ~$20,000.
Is the risk of having a higher chance of patent infringement from offshoring worth saving ~$350?
Wouldn't it feel better working with a Trusted U.S. Patent Illustrator?
Ultimately, it is much easier for overseas companies or individuals to leak, steal, and use patented ideas without fear of legal repercussions. However the solution is simple, using a patent illustrator in the countries the patent protect in can be a preventative measure.
What are the benefits of working with a Trusted U.S. Patent Illustrator?
Given these risks, it is essential that patent attorneys start reshoring patent drawings to ensure that their clients' intellectual property is protected.
By keeping the Patent Drawings or IP Services in-house or working with a trusted, domestic partner, patent attorneys can ensure that the drawings are of the highest quality and that their clients' patents are not at risk of infringement or theft.
Furthermore, reshoring patent drawings can also help to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the United States. By keeping the work in-house, patent attorneys can help to create jobs for American artists and draftsmen, and help to support the domestic economy.
Should you work with U.S. Patent Illustrators for foreign applications?
The answer is yes, the U.S. Ranks 1/55 with a score of 95.48% while India ranks 43/55 with a score of 38.64% and China ranks 24/55 with a score of 55.86%. Checkout the (GIPC) Global Innovation Policy Center 's 2022 International IP Index. It evaluates IP rights in 55 global economies across 50 unique indicators — from patent and copyright policies to commercialization of IP assets and ratification of international treaties. The Index illustrates that economies with the most effective intellectual property (IP) frameworks are more likely to achieve the socio-economic benefits needed to face our biggest challenges.
What are inventor’s roles in protecting their patents?
As a preventative measure, Inventors should be aware of where their Patent Illustrations are being created. Inventors should ask their patent attorneys if their Patent Illustrators are domestic, and if not, request that a domestic illustrator be used immediately. By working with domestic illustrators, inventors can ensure that their patent illustrations are of the highest quality and that their patents are not at risk of infringement or theft.
Ensuring Confidentiality and Security
Furthermore, inventors should also consider asking their patent attorneys about their processes for ensuring the security and confidentiality of their patent. This can include asking about measures such as safe file storage, restricted access to the illustrations, and background checks for illustrators.
In conclusion, offshoring patent drawings can put inventors at risk of patent infringement and intellectual property theft. By working with trusted U.S patent illustrators such as SNS Patent Drafting, patent attorneys can ensure that their clients' intellectual property is protected and help to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in the United States. Inventors should be aware of the risks of offshoring patent illustrations and should ask their patent attorneys if their patent illustrators are domestic. By working with domestic illustrators and ensuring the security and confidentiality of their patent illustrations and other IP services, inventors can ensure that their patents are protected and that their intellectual property is not at risk.
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