GLOSSARY
What is a Patent Portfolio?
Understanding patent portfolios—what they are, how to manage them, and how AI analytics drive better portfolio decisions.
Definition
A patent portfolio is the collection of patents and patent applications owned by a person, company, or organization. Portfolio management involves strategically building, maintaining, and leveraging these assets to support business objectives.
Portfolio Management Activities
- Building: Filing new patents aligned with business strategy
- Maintaining: Paying maintenance fees for valuable patents
- Pruning: Letting low-value patents expire to reduce costs
- Licensing: Generating revenue from portfolio assets
- Enforcement: Asserting patents against infringers
- Valuation: Assessing portfolio worth for M&A, financing, or reporting
Portfolio Quality vs. Quantity
A large portfolio isn't necessarily a strong one. Key quality factors:
- Claim breadth: Are claims broad enough to be commercially relevant?
- Technology alignment: Do patents cover technologies your business actually uses?
- Geographic coverage: Are patents filed in important markets?
- Remaining life: How many years of protection remain?
- Citation impact: Are other inventors building on your patents?
How AI Transforms Portfolio Management
AI enables portfolio optimization by:
- Scoring every patent for quality and strategic value
- Identifying technology gaps in your coverage
- Recommending which patents to maintain, license, or abandon
- Benchmarking your portfolio against competitors