An interview with IP Counsel Eddy Vindigni
By Cezara Maria Muresan
Every year, over 3 million patents are filed globally, proof that innovation isn’t slowing down anytime soon. In our hyper-connected, globalized world, patents are giving inventors and businesses the edge to protect their ideas, spark collaboration, and fuel progress. Patents may seem complicated, but their value? Undeniable.
We spoke with Eddy Vindigni, IP Counsel at Viewpointsystem, about the role patents play in fostering innovation. From how startups and corporations can strategically use patents, to how to decide what should be patented and the influence of AI on intellectual property. Eddy offered a fresh perspective on why patents remain a powerful tool for staying ahead in a competitive market.
Editorial team: In your opinion, what is the most important patented innovation in the field of manufacturing?
Eddy Vindigni: For me, it’s U.S. Patent No. 223,898, Thomas Edison’s electric lightbulb, granted in 1880. Edison’s lightbulb didn’t just revolutionize lighting; it transformed modern manufacturing. Factories, previously constrained by daylight or inefficient gas lighting, could now operate around the clock, boosting productivity and setting the stage for today’s 24-hour industries. This innovation also spurred the development of electric infrastructure, paving the way for countless other industries to flourish.
Patents are often perceived as a complex legal framework. Why are they such an important part of innovation, especially in the tech world?
Patents are like the backbone of innovation; they give inventors exclusive rights to their creations for a limited time. This protection not only safeguards ideas from being copied but also encourages investment in new technologies. In exchange for this temporary exclusivity, inventors publicly disclose how their inventions work, which adds to collective knowledge and enables future advancements once the patent expires.
When developing complex technologies how do you decide which aspects are worth patenting?
The key is to focus on features that are both unique and strategically valuable business-wise. For smart glasses for example, as we develop at Viewpointsystem, this might include technologies that significantly improve functionality – like advanced software reliability, innovative machine learning solutions, or unique ways of interacting with the users.
The elements that set a product apart in the market are worth patenting. By protecting such innovations through patents, companies get tangible and strategic advantages. For big corporations, patents protect their core innovation and allow them to dominate specific markets. For startups, patents are equally valuable because they signal investors that the company has protected technologies, which can be a deciding factor during funding decisions.
In a globalized world where rapidly changing markets push companies to work together on shared projects, how can patents ensure that each company’s contributions are clearly defined and safeguarded?
Patents are essential in open innovation because they clearly define ownership and usage rights through agreements like co-ownership or licensing.
For example, a co-ownership agreement specifies how jointly developed patents are managed and commercialized, ensuring fairness for all contributors. A license agreement, on the other hand, allows one party to use another’s patented technology under agreed terms, such as royalties. These structures enable collaboration while protecting each party’s innovations, fostering trust and ensuring clarity in future uses.
Some argue that patents can act as gatekeepers, slowing down technological progress. What is your view on this?
While it might seem that patents act as barriers, or “gatekeepers,” they incentivize long-term innovation. Patents grant inventors exclusive rights for a limited time, rewarding them for their investment in creating something new. Additionally, the requirement to disclose patented inventions creates a valuable knowledge base for future innovators. This system encourages creativity, supports further research, and ensures that once the exclusivity ends, the innovation becomes accessible for others to build upon.
For smaller companies or startups innovating in tech, what’s your best advice for strategically managing their intellectual property?
I’d suggest focusing on protecting their most critical innovations – the ones that truly differentiate them from competitors. Start by filing national patents, as they are more affordable and provide local protection. From there, they have a one-year window to decide whether to extend the patent internationally through mechanisms like the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). This approach allows them to secure their invention locally while delaying the higher costs of international protection until they have more resources.
Monitoring competitors’ patent activity is also crucial; it helps identify gaps to exploit or areas to strengthen. A well-thought-out IP strategy can maximize impact while keeping costs manageable.
With AI now playing a bigger role in helping inventors and analyzing existing technologies, how might it change the way we decide if an invention is patentable?
I believe AI advancements will likely impact the “non-obvious” (inventiveness) criterion more than “novelty” (new to the world). The European Patent Office’s (EPO) approach to assessing inventive steps already involves evaluating whether a skilled person in the field would find the invention obvious. As AI tools become more sophisticated in assisting with existing art searches and invention drafting, the definition of a “skilled person” may need to evolve. This shift will require the patent system to adapt and address the growing complexity introduced by AI.
With technology advancing so quickly, how do you think the global patent system will evolve in the coming decades?
AI will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in automating tasks like prior art searches and drafting and even, in some cases, preliminary assessments of patentability, streamlining the patent process, and reducing application backlogs. However, while AI will handle routine tasks, human expertise will remain critical for strategic decision-making and interpreting complex legal standards. The future patent system will likely be a hybrid of AI-driven efficiency and human supervision to maintain quality and fairness.
Do you have a personal “patent favorite” from the patents you´ve worked on, perhaps something particularly clever or unusual?
Yes, one of my favorites involves a method for achieving proof-of-stake consensus; a system used in blockchain technology, that makes sure transactions in a digital network are secure and trustworthy. Drafting this patent was a fascinating challenge – it required explaining a highly technical process in a way that was both clear to non-experts and legally enforceable. I enjoyed balancing the technical intricacies with the evolving nature of blockchain, ensuring its innovative aspects were well-protected.
If you could submit a patent for any fictional invention, which one would it be and why?
I would patent the time-traveling car from Back to the Future. A car that could move through time would revolutionize how we understand history, conduct research, and experience life. While this concept is fictional, it would involve fascinating technologies, such as advanced energy sources and precise temporal navigation systems. Patenting this invention would be both thrilling and complex, as it would require innovative safety measures to handle the challenges of time travel and prevent unintended impacts on history.
