What to protect
IP strategy & portfolio
Plan how your patents and trademarks fit your business goals over time. We share general information and help you connect with a licensed IP professional at no cost to you.
What IP strategy and portfolio planning means
IP strategy means choosing which intellectual property tools fit your business, product, or brand. Intellectual property, or IP, includes patents, trademarks, and copyrights. A portfolio is the group of IP rights you own or are seeking, managed together over time.
A patent is a government right that can protect a new and useful invention. A trademark is a word, name, or logo that identifies the source of goods or services. Copyright protects original creative works, like text, images, music, and software code. The best mix depends on your goals, budget, timeline, and the risk of copying or imitation.
If you are early stage, you may only need a short-term plan. If you are growing, you may need a longer plan for filing, maintenance, brand protection, and enforcement. We help you find a licensed patent attorney, registered patent agent, or trademark attorney who can explain your options.
Common planning questions for inventors and small businesses
Good planning starts with practical questions. What are you trying to protect, and why does it matter to your business? Are you trying to protect a product feature, a brand name, a design, or creative content?
A patent strategy often considers prior art, which means public information that was already known before a filing date. A priority date is the date that can matter when deciding what counts as earlier or later in the patent process. A provisional application is a lower-formality patent filing that can help establish an early filing date; a non-provisional application is the standard patent application that is examined by the USPTO, or United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Trademark planning often looks at whether a name is available, how it is used in the market, and whether it should cover one product line or several. Copyright planning may focus on ownership, contracts, and where creative work is published. A licensed professional can help you think through these choices in a way that fits your business.
Why portfolio management matters over time
IP is not usually a one-time task. Patents, trademarks, and copyrights each have different rules, deadlines, and costs. If you do not plan ahead, you may spend money on protection that does not match your business needs.
A simple portfolio plan can help you decide what to file now, what to delay, and what to stop spending on. It can also help you track deadlines, office action responses, renewals, and product changes. An office action is a written notice from the USPTO or another office explaining a problem or question about an application.
Planning also helps with budgeting. Some matters may be handled with flat-fee work, while others may need more time if the facts are complex. A good plan should be honest about cost, timing, and likely next steps, without promising a result.
How FiledClaim helps
FiledClaim is a free service for people in the US who want general information and help finding a licensed IP professional. We are not a law firm, and we do not give legal advice. We help you find a patent attorney, patent agent, or trademark attorney based on your needs.
You do not need to share secret invention details with us. We only ask for contact details and a short, non-confidential description so we can understand the general kind of help you need. If you choose to move forward, the professional you speak with can tell you what information is needed next.
The professionals in our network pay a flat marketing fee to participate. Your use of FiledClaim is free. If you want to start, visit get matched or review how it works.
When to talk with a licensed professional
It is often smart to speak with a licensed professional before you spend money on filing, branding, product launch, or investor materials. This is especially true if you are trying to decide between a patent and a trade secret, if you are worried about copycats, or if you are building a brand that you plan to use for years.
You should also get help if you have received a notice or office action, if you are unsure who should own the IP, or if your business has partners, contractors, or overseas plans. The right timing can save time and reduce mistakes, but no one can promise a filing will succeed.
For official information, you can also review USPTO.gov for patents and trademarks and Copyright.gov for copyrights. Those sites explain the public process, forms, and basic rules.
This page explains how to plan patents and trademarks over time and how FiledClaim can help you find a licensed IP professional for free.
Common questions
What is the difference between an IP strategy and an application?
An IP strategy is the overall plan for what to protect, when to file, and how to budget for it. An application is one filing step inside that plan, such as a patent, trademark, or copyright filing.
Do I need a patent, a trademark, or both?
It depends on what you are trying to protect. A patent may fit an invention, a trademark may fit a brand name or logo, and a copyright may fit original creative work. A licensed professional can help you sort out the options.
Can FiledClaim tell me what to file?
We can share general educational information, but we do not give legal advice. We help you find a licensed patent attorney, registered patent agent, or trademark attorney who can look at your situation.
Will I be asked to share my secret invention details?
No. Please share only contact details and a short, non-confidential description. If you move forward, the professional you speak with can tell you what information is appropriate to share next.