Systems Analysis
Increasingly, technology companies are looking to leverage their “system” patents. World leaders in semiconductors, consumer electronics, computing, telecom, automotive, and medical devices are waking up to the value of patents that cover technology from the chip to the printed circuit board, to the electronic system, to the product. Chipworks assists these companies, and the law firms that represent them, by:
- Reviewing portfolios to identify system patents that likely read on competitors’ products, and designing licensing programs
- Delivering infringement analysis and claim charts to strengthen their positions in negotiations and litigations
Having documented infringement on over 200 electronic systems in numerous industries, Chipworks has the experience to support clients when they need to:
- Perform complex analyses that require a combination of expertise, such as hardware analysis combined with circuit and software engineering
- Apply a wide range of methodologies to produce a claim chart, such as literature and standards review, functional testing, and reverse engineering
- Complement their in-house resource capabilities with specialized engineering resources
- Utilize unique testing tools and facilities
Examples of systems analyzed
- Consumer electronics: digital cameras; DVD players and recorders; portable audio devices (MP3 players); game consoles; televisions; projectors; satellite receivers; digital clocks; and GPS receivers.
- Computer systems: personal computers and laptops; PDAs; monitors; CD/DVD writers; hard disks; video cards; mice; DSL modems; network cards; wireless cards; routers; printers; scanners; and flash memory cards
- Networks and communications: IP; LAN/L2; VoIP; TDM; Wireless; and Web
- Automotive: anti-lock braking systems; electronic power steering; and keyless entry and ignition
- Medical devices: blood pressure monitors and digital thermometers
Examples of techniques used
- Reverse engineering
- Multichip module circuit extraction
- Board level circuit extraction
- Software extraction, disassembly, and decompilation
- Functional testing
- Apparatus and test case generation (e.g., custom and evaluation boards, test environment)
- Physical, probing, sniffing, and GUI
- Software functional analysis
- Inspection
- Product teardown
- Tracing connections
- Standards review
- 802.11
- CDMA2000
- DOCSIS, HDSL
- Literature review
- Service and user manuals
- Internet articles and publications
- Product data sheets