In today’s competitive innovation landscape, patent relevance assessment is a critical step in both Freedom to Operate (FTO) analysis and patentability assessment. With more than 11 million active patents worldwide, finding the right ones to review — and ignoring the noise — can save months of work and significant legal costs.
The problem? Most patent analysis tools act like a “black box”, giving a score without explaining why. At FTO Checker, we believe in transparent, multi-factor patent scoring that turns complex IP data into clear, actionable insights — without revealing every detail of our proprietary algorithms.
The challenge of patent relevance
Not all patents carry the same strategic weight. A keyword match doesn’t guarantee real legal risk, and a patent with no obvious link to your invention can still be a threat.
The question every innovator faces:
Which patents deserve immediate legal attention, and which can you safely deprioritize?
Our multi-dimentional patent relevance framework
1. Search discovery confidence
We use multiple search approaches — semantic analysis, technical classification systems, inventor tracking, advanced keyword strategies — to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Patents found through multiple independent methods score higher on discovery confidence.
2. Technical claim alignement
We go beyond keyword matching, analysing claim structure and terminology.
Independent claims are weighted differently from dependent claims, and technical precision matters more than superficial similarity.
3. Strategic timeline factors
Patent age affects risk. Recent patents can be more dangerous for FTO, while older patents may be more useful as prior art for patentability reviews.
Our scoring reflects these strategic differences.
4. Industry impact indicators
Citation patterns, industry adoption, and enforcement history all contribute to a higher relevance score.
High-impact patents deserve higher attention.
Why this matters to your IP strategy
By combining these factors, our scoring system helps you:
- Prioritize legal review efficiently
- Understand the confidence behind each assessment
- Communicate clearly with stakeholders
- Reduce the risk of missing critical patents
Transparency — without revealing ou secret sauce 😉
While our business logic and models are proprietary, our patent strategy reviews share enough detail for you to trust the process:
- Overall similarity score (0–100%)
- Multi-criteria breakdown
- AI-generated explanations for each patent
- Discovery transparency (which search methods found it)
Strategic applications
- FTO analysis: Identify and focus on patents with high claim alignment and high enforcement risk.
- Patentability assessment: Spot precise prior art with the right claim scope and timing.
- Competitive IP strategy: Map the patent landscape and spot high-impact players.
