Invention Focus Areas

Six critical aspects to systematically refine for a strong, patent-ready invention

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Strategic Refinement

Rather than refining your invention all at once, focus on specific aspects sequentially or in parallel. Each focus area has unique methods, outputs, and expert requirements. Use this guide to navigate your refinement journey strategically.

1

Novelty & Prior Art Analysis

Differentiate your invention from existing solutions

search Key Activities

  • • Prior art search (patents, publications)
  • • Competitive product analysis
  • • Novelty gap identification
  • • Differentiation strategy
  • • Freedom-to-operate analysis

auto_awesome Recommended Sessions

  • • Interview: Expert landscape review
  • • Innovation: Design around prior art
  • • Critique: Stress-test novelty claims

description Outputs

  • • Prior art search report
  • • Novelty map (invention vs. prior art)
  • • Differentiation matrix
  • • Freedom-to-operate opinion

AI Experts to Consult:

Prior Art Analyst Patent Specialist Domain Expert Competitive Analyst
CAGE Alignment: Assess Stage • Typical Duration: 1-3 days
2

Claims & Scope Definition

Define the legal boundaries of your patent protection

gavel Key Activities

  • • Independent claim drafting
  • • Dependent claim cascading
  • • Claim scope optimization
  • • Antecedent basis checking
  • • Means-plus-function analysis

auto_awesome Recommended Sessions

  • • Innovation: Build claim hooks
  • • Refinement: Sharpen claim language
  • • Critique: Examiner attack scenarios

description Outputs

  • • Independent claims (broad)
  • • Dependent claims (narrow)
  • • Claim tree diagram
  • • Claim construction memo

AI Experts to Consult:

Claims Drafter Patent Specialist Virtual Examiner Patent Attorney
CAGE Alignment: Generate Stage • Typical Duration: 2-5 days
3

Embodiments & Variations

Generate alternative implementations and design variants

category Key Activities

  • • Preferred embodiment design
  • • Alternative embodiments generation
  • • Variant matrix (materials, structures, processes)
  • • Edge case coverage
  • • Embodiment feasibility check

auto_awesome Recommended Sessions

  • • Ideation: Brainstorm variants (SCAMPER)
  • • Innovation: Cross-domain analogies
  • • Consolidation: Select best embodiments

description Outputs

  • • Embodiment matrix
  • • Preferred embodiment description
  • • Alternative embodiment descriptions
  • • Variant coverage map

AI Experts to Consult:

Domain Expert Virtuoso (Analogies) Technical Illustrator Materials Scientist
CAGE Alignment: Create & Assess Stages • Typical Duration: 1-3 days
4

Technical Specifications

Document detailed operation, structure, and behavior

settings Key Activities

  • • Detailed description drafting
  • • Operational flow documentation
  • • Component specifications
  • • Performance parameters
  • • Enablement check

auto_awesome Recommended Sessions

  • • Interview: Technical deep dive
  • • Refinement: Clarify technical language
  • • Review: Completeness check

description Outputs

  • • Detailed specification document
  • • Operational flow charts
  • • Component list with parameters
  • • Enablement justification

AI Experts to Consult:

Domain Expert Technical Writer Patent Specialist Engineer
CAGE Alignment: Generate Stage • Typical Duration: 2-4 days
5

Figures & Diagrams

Illustrate your invention clearly and comprehensively

image Key Activities

  • • Figure planning (what to show)
  • • Diagram creation (block, flow, exploded)
  • • Reference numeral assignment
  • • Figure legends & descriptions
  • • USPTO formatting compliance

auto_awesome Recommended Sessions

  • • Innovation: Concept sketches
  • • Refinement: Polish figures for clarity
  • • Review: Completeness & consistency

description Outputs

  • • Patent-quality figures (line drawings)
  • • Figure legends & brief descriptions
  • • Reference numeral list
  • • Figure cross-reference to spec

AI Experts to Consult:

Technical Illustrator Patent Specialist Graphic Designer Domain Expert
CAGE Alignment: Generate Stage • Typical Duration: 1-3 days
6

Market & Commercial Viability

Validate business case and market opportunity

trending_up Key Activities

  • • Market size estimation
  • • Customer needs validation
  • • Competitive positioning
  • • Revenue model development
  • • Go-to-market strategy

auto_awesome Recommended Sessions

  • • Interview: Market expert insights
  • • Review: Business case assessment
  • • Critique: Risk & viability analysis

description Outputs

  • • Market analysis report
  • • Business case document
  • • Revenue projections
  • • Investor pitch deck (optional)

AI Experts to Consult:

Market Analyst Business Strategist Industry Expert Financial Analyst
CAGE Alignment: Execute Stage • Typical Duration: 1-2 weeks

Refinement Strategies

call_split Parallel Approach

Work on multiple focus areas simultaneously with different experts.

Best For:

  • • Fast-track projects with tight deadlines
  • • Large teams with specialized roles
  • • Well-defined inventions with clear scope

Example:

Simultaneously work on claims (legal), specifications (technical), and figures (illustration) in week 1.

trending_flat Sequential Approach

Focus on one area at a time, using outputs from previous areas as inputs.

Best For:

  • • Early-stage inventions needing exploration
  • • Solo inventors or small teams
  • • Complex inventions requiring deep analysis

Example:

Week 1: Prior art analysis → Week 2: Embodiments → Week 3: Claims → Week 4: Specs & Figures.

Ready to Focus Your Refinement?

Launch the initiation wizard to configure your session and select focus areas

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