Monitoring a competitor’s patent filings is a tried and true approach for gaining competitive intelligence.

There are various approaches to extracting data about a competitor from their patent filings, some manual, some automated. For example, the types of technologies being pursued, the level of inventiveness in certain technical areas, partnerships, and more can be gleaned from published patent data.

However, one area often overlooked is the drawings - particularly the level of detail in the drawings. More detailed drawings (CAD-like) can be an indication that the competitor has advanced close to production, whereas high-level attorney-like drawings might indicate that the competitor is still in the early stages. Of course, some applicants may obscure the invention using attorney-like drawings even if a detailed product has been developed.

New techniques are being developed to use AI-based tools that can automatically “review” a competitor’s portfolio and provide a production capability evaluation based on the not only the level of the detailed description, but the level of detail in the patent drawings. Some firms have been experimenting with tools that analyze competitor patent filings and it would be great to hear from others if they are using, or plan to use, similar technologies for competitor monitoring.