So hello, everybody. Good morning. Thank you for joining in. My name is Garima. I'm a software engineer at Dell Technologies. I wear many hats.I'm a researcher, publisher, and a patent holder. I've had the opportunity to develop several AI driven solutions that generated significant cost savings for my organization, and I've also successfully navigated the patent process as well. I'm thrilled to be here today to share something I'm deeply passionate about, how we can transform our innovative ideas into valuable intellectual property that advances both our careers and the tech industry as a whole. Today, I want to help you recognize the potential in your work and guide you through the journey from initial idea to impactful patent. In today's session, we'll explore what I call the three i's, innovate, inscribe, and impact.

Specifically, we will cover what patents are and why they matter in tech, how to identify patentable innovations in your everyday work, navigating the patent process from idea to filing, creating lasting impact with your patents, and finally, the key takeaways you can implement right away.

My goal is for each of you to leave with practical strategies to recognize, protect, and amplify the impact of your innovations. Let's get started. In the innovation category, let's explore the what, the why, and how of the patent journey. First, let's establish what a patent actually is. It is a government granted exclusive right to an invention. It is a protection for functionality, not just ideas. This distinction is crucial. Patents protect the functional implementation of ideas, not the ideas themselves. You cannot patent the concept of a faster way to process data, but you can patent the specific method you developed that achieves that faster processing. Next, patent is an enforcement of ownership over technological breakthroughs. It is a coverage for processes, methods, systems, or compositions. So why should we care about patents in tech?

Well, there are several compelling reasons. First, revenue opportunities. Patents can generate licensing revenue or increase company valuation. Second, professional growth. Being an inventor enhances your professional reputation and career prospects. Patents remain on your resume forever and demonstrate your ability to create novel solutions to complex problems. In many tech companies, patents are considered in promotion decisions and can distinguish you as a technical leader. Third, innovation culture. A strong patent demonstrates or a strong patent portfolio demonstrates and reinforces a culture of innovation. When companies recognize and reward employees for patentable work, it signals that creative problem solving is valued. I've seen firsthand how teams become more motivated when their patent contributions are celebrated. Next, defensive protection.

Patents protect your company from competitors copying your innovations, giving you legal recourse if others try to use your technology without permission. Next and the last one, market differentiation. Patents help your product stand out in a crowded marketplace by creative competitive advantages that cannot be easily duplicated. For those of us in technical roles, patents transform our day to day problem solving into recognized, valuable assets with lasting impact beyond our immediate project or role. So now that we understand what patents are and why they matter, how do we identify potentially patentable work? Not every solution qualifies, but patentable innovations generally have these characteristics. First, original. They solve real world problems in a new way. This doesn't mean inventing a completely new field of technology, but rather addressing existing challenges with fresh approaches. Next, distinctive. They stand apart from what's already known in the field. Your solution should be different enough that an expert would recognize it as a novel solution. Third, practical.

They deliver measurable results or enhances efficiency. Patent officers or committee favor innovations with real world utility that improve performance, reduce costs, or sell solves technical problems in measurable ways. And lastly, inventive. The innovation goes beyond routine tweaks or obvious combination. This is what the patent committee or examiners called non obviousness. Would someone with ordinary skill in your field easily arrive at this solution? If not, you likely have something inventive. Remember, you don't need to create something revolutionary. Many valuable patterns come from incremental improvements that make existing solutions better, faster, or more cost effective. Let me share a personal story about recognizing patentable work. I was working on a project and brainstorming on solutions and trying to overcome a technical challenge. When I presented my solution to my advisor and manager, they looked at each other and said, if we can actually create that solution, that would be our patent.

I was surprised. I hadn't been thinking about patents at all. I was just trying to solve a problem. This taught me an important lesson. Patentable innovations are often hidden in plain sight in the work we already are doing. The key is developing the awareness to recognize them and having the right support to move from idea to protected IPs or intellectual property. Now that we have learned how to innovate, let's see how to inscribe. In this section, we will have a reality check, understand the navigation process, and share some practical tips. So before we go further, let's address some of the common myths about patents that might be holding you holding you back. Let's look into myths versus realities.

One of the myth is that only revolutionary innovations deserve patents. But the reality is incremental innovations with practical application are often highly patentable. In fact, the vast majority of patents represent evolutionary improvements rather than revolutionary breakthroughs. That clever way you optimize the process or that unique approach to solving a problem, those incremental innovations are exactly what that patent system was designed to protect. Another myth is software solutions are unpatentable. However, the reality is while abstract algorithms alone may not qualify, software that solves technical problems can be protected. The key is framing your software innovation as a technical solution to a technical problem. For example, an algorithm that improves database query performance by reducing processing time is potentially patentable when you describe the specific technical approach and resulting improvements.

There is another common myth that patents are too expensive for individual inventors. But the reality is many companies provide support for employee patent filing. In fact, most tech organizations have established patent committee programs or patent programs that cover all costs associated with filing. These programs typically include attorney fees, filing fees, and sometimes even monetary incentive for inventors. Your company likely sees patent as valuable investments rather than expensive. Understanding these realities can help you approach the patent process with confidence knowing that your innovations, even if they seem modest to you, may be valuable intellectual property worth protecting. Let's walk through the typical patent journey. First, spot the innovation. Recognize when you have created something unique. This requires developing a patent mindset, consciously evaluating your solutions against what is currently known in the field. Practice asking yourself, is this approach novel?

Would others in my field think of solving the problem this way? Do not dismiss simple solutions. Sometimes the most valuable patterns are elegant in their simplicity. Second, validate for novelty and utility. Research existing solutions to ensure your innovation isn't already published. You don't need to be exhaustive at this stage. You're looking for other similar solutions that would prevent your patent from being granted. Also, assess whether your innovation provides tangible benefits that you can articulate. Third, document iterations clearly. Keep detailed records of your development process, including the problem you are solving, alternative approaches you considered, and why your solution is superior. Next, draft and review the application. Work with oops. Work with patent professionals to prepare your application. This typically involves several meetings, an initial disclosure session where you explain your invention, follow-up discussion to clarify technical details, and review sessions to ensure the application accurately captures your innovation.

While attorneys will handle the legal language, your role is to ensure the technical description is precise and comprehensive. Next, file professionally to move to full patent. Use the provisional filing to secure an early date while giving yourself time to refine the invention. Provisional application is simpler, less formal, and gives you some time to decide whether to proceed with the full application. When you convert to a full application, you can include improvements while maintaining your original filing date for the core invention. Throughout this journey, your active involvement as the inventor is crucial. No one understands your innovation better than you do. Here are five critical practices that will significantly improve your patent journey. First, thorough review. Take time to understand and refine your patent claims.

Claims define the legal boundaries of your invention. They're the most important part of your patent. Next, early collaboration. Connect with patent attorneys and technical experts early in the process. Their guidance can help shape your innovation to maximize patentability. Third, innovation focus. Emphasize the technical problem and your novel solution. Be explicit about the problems you're solving and why your approach is novel. Quantify benefits whenever possible. For example, saying reduces processing time by 40% is much more compelling than my solution improves efficiency. Next, non disclosure. I cannot highlight this enough, but keep your invention confidential until filing. Public disclosures before filing can jeopardize your patent rights. Be careful about conference presentations, blog posts, GitHub repositories, and even detailed discussion before filing. If you must discuss your information externally, use NDA's, nondisclosure agreements. And lastly, professional search.

Consider working with experts to conduct a thorough prior art search. This can save you time and strengthen your application by helping you differentiate your innovation from existing solutions. We have now reached our final section, impact. Let's talk about why patents matter for the businesses. From a business perspective, patents deliver value in several key ways. First, they offer business protection. Patents create legal barriers that prevent competitors from copying your innovation. This is critical for protecting your market position, especially for start ups trying to establish themselves. Second, they serve as competitive defense. In sectors like tech, where litigation is common, having a strong patent portfolio allows your company to defend itself or counter if needed. Third, patents provide design freedom. This secure space for your engineering teams to operate without running into external IP barriers. Fourth, they are strategic assets. Patents increase company valuation during funding rounds or acquisitions.

And finally, patents create revenue opportunities, whether through licensing to others or cross licensing with partners. Patents can open up income streams even if licensing isn't your core business model. So as you begin your patent journey, keep these insights in mind. Identify innovations. Train yourself to spot potential patent opportunities in your work. Develop an inventor's mindset where you regularly ask, is this solution novel? Would others approach this problem differently? Make it a habit to step back from your day to day problem solving and evaluate your work from a patentability perspective. Schedule time, perhaps monthly, to specifically review your recent work for patent potential. Then document innovations. Develop a habit of detailed documentation from the beginning. Focus on novelty, scalability, and clarity in your records. Third, validate innovations. Research thoroughly before investing significant time. Don't be discouraged by finding patents in the same general area.

What matters is whether your specific approach is novel. Fourth, engage experts. Collaborate with domain experts and patent professionals to strengthen your application and increase your chances of success. And lastly, amplify impact. Actively promote and leverage your patents once granted. Share your patents internally through technical talks or innovation showcases. Update your professional profiles and resume. Look for opportunities to build on your patented world with complimentary innovations that could lead to a patent family. Remember, innovation is the beginning. Inscription is the bridge. Impact is the result. Ideas deserve more than applause. They deserve protection. I encourage each of you today to review your current projects for patent table innovations. Set time aside this week to look at your recent technical work through a patent list patent lens. Ask yourself, have I created a solution that approaches a problem differently than others would? Does my approach provide measurable improvements over existing methods?

Remember that the journey from innovation to impact begins with awareness, recognizing the value in your technical solutions and taking steps to protect them. Each of you has the potential to create patentable innovations. The question is whether you will recognize them and take action to transform them into lasting intellectual property. Thank you so much everyone for listening in. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. I'd love to stay in touch and learn more about your patent journey as well.