Landscape or whitespace analysis of a patent involves identifying areas of innovation and competitive opportunities within a specific technology domain. This analysis highlights gaps in existing patents, revealing unprotected ideas that could potentially lead to new inventions. By examining the technological trends and patent filings, it helps organizations strategize their research and development efforts, enabling them to capitalize on emerging opportunities. Ultimately, this approach plays a crucial role in guiding investment decisions and fostering innovation in competitive landscapes.
Landscape analysis is often referred to as ‘patent mapping’ It provides insight into the innovations that underlie technology and products. A completed patent landscape analysis project consists of a set of technical references and accompanying analytics from which important legal, business, and technology information can be extracted. This information enables large corporations, startups, universities, research institutions, and investors to understand and make informed decisions prior to investing time and money into new technology and product development opportunities.
Whereas, Whitespace analysis is one of the key methods for strategic innovation and usually follows preliminary patent landscaping. It consists of identifying a white-space gap within a sector and considering how the gap could be filled. It is the process of using company data and sales records to uncover new opportunities to target. These analyses are done as a prerequisite to identifying where a possible invention may be generated.
