Design-around · blocking patents · another technical route
A single key patent can hold up an entire launch. Design-Around breaks down its claims, finds the weakest limitation, and suggests a few possible ways to design around it — before you give up or fight head-on, see if there is a third path.
The scan is free · sign up to view the full result · design-around solutions are optional
But many patents protect a narrower scope than you think
Invalidation, litigation, licensing talks all cost time and money and you may still lose. Designing around is often the faster, cheaper third path.
Killing a whole product direction over one patent is a big loss. Often, changing how you implement it takes you outside the scope of the claims.
Which limitation is weakest and where to break through is hard to see without breaking the claim down to elements. The tool takes it apart and marks it for you.
Not a yes/no on whether you can go around — concrete leads on where to go around
The blocking patent's independent claim broken down to its elements, so you can see exactly what it protects and where its boundary is.
Flags which limitations are relatively weakest and most likely avoidable by changing your implementation, pointing a direction for the design-around.
Based on the weakest limitation, a few possible alternative-route ideas for you, your engineers, and your attorney to evaluate further.
Enter the patent number, or describe the patent blocking you and your product. The more complete the information, the sharper the breakdown.
The tool breaks the independent claim down to its elements and finds the weakest limitation.
View the element-by-element breakdown and the weakest limitation; concrete design-around solutions are optional. Sign up to view the full result.
The tool helps you see the boundary of the claims and find possible directions to go around, but looking like you can go around does not mean you are legally free. The doctrine of equivalents, prosecution history estoppel, and more still need professional judgment. Before implementing any design-around, have an attorney confirm it truly falls outside the scope of the claims.
Need to confirm freedom after the design-around? Run an FTO analysis →Breaking down the blocking patent and seeing the weakest limitation is free; sign up to view the full scan result. Concrete design-around solutions are a separate paid item.
No. The tool helps you find possible directions to go around, but whether you truly fall outside the claim scope (including the doctrine of equivalents and estoppel) needs professional judgment — have an attorney confirm.
Yes. Given the patent number the tool breaks it down; the more you add about your product, the more the design-around fits your actual situation.
FTO judges whether your product has infringement risk; design-around helps you find how to change it to go around, once you already know a specific patent blocks you. The common order is FTO first to find risk, then design-around.
Your input is used only for this breakdown analysis. For unpublished designs, describe only enough to analyze, or consult first.
Hand the directions to your engineers to assess feasibility, and have an attorney confirm your freedom after the change; if needed, run an FTO again to verify the new design truly falls outside the claim scope.
Disclaimer
This tool provides a preliminary analysis of design-around ideas. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee that a design-around frees your product from infringement. Whether a specific design falls within the scope of the claims (including the doctrine of equivalents and prosecution history estoppel) should be determined by a qualified patent attorney's formal opinion.