Invention Reasoning Scheme Based on Workshop Design Konstruktion (WDK) Artefact Models and its Application in the Patent Search

Abstract

Patent system has an important role in engineering design process as it provides a source of ideas through patent information. On the other hand, the patent system poses potential constraints on the engineering design process, because a granted patent in force may prevent the exploitation of a technical solution. The aforementioned issues are the main reasons why the patent search should not only be performed as a search for ideas and a search for potential constraints on the innovation process, but also be taught in engineering design courses. Namely, in order to be able to carry out their future tasks in industry, engineering students need to be capable of handling patent information since it strongly influences any industrial innovation process. The existence of information, however, does not guarantee its proper usage, since patent search requires considerable knowledge and effort by the searcher to access and benefit from the information contained in patent databases. For this reason, we developed an invention representation and reasoning scheme based on engineering design artefact models in order to improve the quality of patent search process, primarily among non-experienced searchers, such as engineering students who typically use patent information as a source of ideas in engineering design and product development projects. The invention reasoning scheme contains categories adopted from the theory of technical systems, primarily the model of transformation process and the model of technical system, as well as categories from other Workshop Design Konstruktion (WDK) theories, and is aimed at supporting reasoning during the patent search process. In order to investigate the applicability of such a scheme in patent search, a case study on a small group mainly consisting of mechanical engineering students was conducted, which demonstrated that this patent search reasoning tool based on the WDK artefact models may be successfully applied in patent searches conducted by non-professional patent searchers.