Freedom-to-Operate · US · China · Europe
Screen patent infringement risk before your product launches
An FTO (Freedom-to-Operate) analysis maps your product against in-force patents in your target markets, so a launch, an export shipment or a trade-show booth doesn't turn into an injunction or a damages claim. We deliver a transparent, claim-by-claim risk report across the US, China and Europe.
When you need an FTO report
Any moment your product meets someone else's patents
Before a new product launch
Before mass production or market entry, confirm which in-force patents your product's features may read on, and where the exposure sits.
Going global & cross-border e-commerce
Selling into the US, the EU or via Amazon and other marketplaces? A single patent complaint can pull your listing. Screen the destination markets first.
Trade shows & exhibitions
Booths at CES, the Canton Fair or Hannover Messe are patrolled for patent enforcement. Know your risk before the doors open.
Fundraising & M&A due diligence
Investors and acquirers ask whether the product can ship freely. An FTO report is the document that answers it.
Validating a design-around
Changed a technical route to avoid a blocking patent? Verify the new design actually steps outside the claims.
Supply-chain or component switch
A new supplier or component can pull in patents your prior design never touched. Re-screen when the bill of materials changes.
The cost of skipping FTO
Infringement is strict liability — good faith is not a defense to liability itself
US — enhanced damages up to 3×
Under 35 U.S.C. §284 a court may award up to treble damages where infringement is found willful, and under §285 attorney fees in exceptional cases. Continuing to sell after notice raises the willfulness exposure.
US / Europe — injunctions & border measures
A patent owner can seek an injunction or preliminary relief, and customs and border authorities can detain infringing goods. A pulled launch or a seized shipment costs far more than the screening.
China — 1×–5× punitive damages
Under the PRC Patent Law, intentional infringement of a serious nature can carry punitive damages of one to five times the base amount, alongside injunctive relief.
Marketplaces & platforms — listing takedowns
E-commerce platforms remove listings on a patent complaint, often before you can respond. Prior screening lets you answer, redesign or license instead of going dark.
Sample reports (de-sensitized)
Real reports generated on our platform, with product identifiers redacted. Switch jurisdictions to see the structure.
Sample · de-sensitized. Product names and descriptions are solid-covered; patent numbers are public information. Report structure and analysis are genuine platform output.
How we run the analysis
What sits behind the report
50M+ searchable patent corpus
A real, vectorized patent database covering China, the US and Europe drives recall far beyond keyword search — every cited reference traces to a real patent number.
Transparent search
Every search query and the screening funnel — how many candidates were retrieved, screened and analyzed — is disclosed in the report. No black box.
Claim-by-claim charts
Each relevant patent's independent claims are mapped element-by-element against your product's features, not summarized away.
Three layers of infringement analysis
Literal infringement, the doctrine of equivalents, and prosecution-history estoppel — the conditional questions that decide real exposure.
Jurisdiction-specific law
US §271 and Festo; China's Patent Law Article 64 all-elements rule; Europe's Article 69 EPC and its Protocol as the scope basis, with enforcement through national courts or the UPC.
Honest verdicts, counsel gate
The report is a structured first-pass triage, not a formal legal opinion. Where the call is close, we flag it for review by qualified patent counsel.
How the engagement works
- 1
Consult
Tell us the product, the target markets and the timeline. We scope the work and give you a quote.
- 2
Confidential intake
You share the product's technical features under confidentiality. Nothing is published.
- 3
Feature decomposition
We break the product into the technical features that matter for the claim comparison.
- 4
Multi-jurisdiction search
Patent search across your target markets, with the queries and the funnel recorded.
- 5
Claim-by-claim comparison
Relevant patents are charted element-by-element, with literal / equivalents / estoppel analysis.
- 6
Report & review guidance
You receive the structured report with a clear verdict, plus guidance on where formal counsel review is warranted.
Pricing
FTO work is priced by project scope — there is no one-size fee. Tell us the product and the markets, and we'll give you a quote.
Indicative price range
RMB ¥30,000 – ¥300,000per product or technology
The exact fee depends on the complexity of the product and technology, the number of target jurisdictions and the turnaround. The final quote is confirmed after consultation.
Jurisdictions
One market or a US-China-Europe bundle changes the search and analysis effort.
Product complexity
The number of technical features and relevant patents drives the depth of the claim charts.
Turnaround
Standard delivery, or an expedited timeline for a launch or a trade-show deadline.
Need further analysis support?
FAQ
What exactly is an FTO analysis?
Freedom-to-Operate analysis screens whether making, using or selling your product in a target market may read on in-force third-party patents. It is a risk assessment, not a guarantee — infringement is ultimately decided by the courts.
Is this a formal legal opinion?
No. We deliver a professional, structured risk analysis report. For a formal FTO opinion that a court or an investor treats as such, engage qualified patent counsel — we flag where that is warranted.
Which countries do you cover?
Primarily the United States, China and Europe. Other jurisdictions can be scoped on request.
How is this different from a free online tool?
The report is prepared as a professional service: full search disclosure, claim-by-claim charts, and jurisdiction-specific legal framing. It is not a self-serve widget.
How do you protect confidentiality?
Your product details are handled under confidentiality and are not published. Only public patent numbers appear in the report.
What do I receive?
A structured report: executive summary and risk verdict, the disclosed search, claim-by-claim charts, a feature × patent risk matrix, the statutory framework and per-patent discussion.
How long does it take?
It depends on the number of jurisdictions and the product's complexity. We give a timeline with the quote and can expedite for a launch or a trade-show deadline.
How do I start?
Reach out via the consult button. Tell us the product, the target markets and the timeline, and we'll scope the work and quote it.
Important notice
This page describes a professional patent risk-analysis service. An FTO report is a structured risk assessment and does not constitute a formal legal opinion. Patent infringement is decided by the competent courts of each jurisdiction; before a major manufacturing, launch or investment decision, we recommend obtaining a formal FTO opinion from a qualified patent attorney or patent agent.