How can practitioners use AI tools to enhance portfolio management processes for their clients, and what are the advantages of doing so? 

AI is a powerful tool that is enhancing companies’ digitalisation journey, but it is important to develop a strategy that uses it effectively to solve specific challenges. AI is particularly suited to supporting IP decision making through data analysis, such as assessing patent strength or trends at global IP offices. AI can also support enforcement actions by analysing global counterfeits and infringements, and pooling data to identify hotspots where a portfolio would benefit from enhanced protection or where costs could be saved by taking a lighter-touch approach.

AI is also gaining popularity in identifying prior art and case law management. It’s not quite expert level – particularly when it comes to offline sources – but it is certainly a valuable addition to a practitioner’s toolbox.

Which recent decisions or legislative developments have had the most significant impact on IP strategy in Sweden in the past 12 months, and how have you adapted to manage these? 

Sweden is an outlier for its approach to employed inventors’ rights to remuneration. This legislation has arguably had a positive impact on innovation but can surprise international companies when their employees are inventing in Sweden. A recent Swedish Patent and Market Court case laid out how far the law is prepared to go, with the final compensation decision including a significant fixed amount and royalties on net sales over the patent’s lifecycle (PMT 9596-21).

In practice, such legislation means advising companies on developing and implementing remuneration plans that kick in early, but in principle it means helping them develop IP strategies that consider local legislation, particularly when it differs from international norms.

You specialise in the wireless and telecoms space. What is the biggest challenge facing your clients in this industry, and how are you helping them to combat this? 

A potential challenge is the proposed EU SEP regulation. Discussions about its impact are ongoing and countries with prominent telecoms industries have raised concerns. There is uncertainty around how it will be implemented, but we are working with stakeholders to highlight potential hurdles – both publicly and during ongoing discussions with government agencies – as we seek further clarification.

One interesting area is the expansion of patent pools, particularly within 5G for automotive and IoT. We are raising awareness by assisting clients with exploring benefits and risks – but the underlying principle is that you license your patents to a shared pool and can then license other members’ patents, providing access to a lot of exciting technology. This appears to be a fair and inclusive approach to resolving issues, creating a positive collaborative environment and making it easier for smaller companies to innovate without constant fear of litigation. We haven’t yet seen platform members raise shared technology cases against one another at the UPC, for example, so it demonstrates that the market can self-regulate and solves some challenges that the standardised patent regulations intend to address. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in intellectual property, and what advice would you give to someone considering a similar path?

I had just finished my degree in electronics when I became interested in law. Intellectual property offered the chance to combine my technical expertise and legal interest, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

I would stress the importance of staying curious. Intellectual property is often about challenging the status quo, identifying new routines and looking for improvements. It’s also crucial to remember that whenever you become an expert, the technology could change – so always be humble and willing to challenge your own processes. 

You returned to Zacco in 2018 after a seven-year hiatus as a patent consultant. How has this experience outside the firm shaped your current approach to IP strategy? 

Working in multiple companies has helped me recognise that there are different ways to achieve goals. This has shaped how I advise clients, particularly when it comes to enforcement and monetisation. It means identifying different strategies depending on the case’s needs, then helping clients decide on the most productive route forward. 

Outside experience also provided insight into how a forward-thinking, driven organisation should be run and how to implement best practices into everyday processes and management. 

Returning to Zacco has been great for informal cross-border collaboration – for example, reaching out to a German or British colleague to ask about a Swedish firm entering their market. Such flexibility contributes to better advice overall.

Patrick Olson

European Patent Attorney, Regional Director, Sweden West
[email protected]

Almost two decades as a patent attorney has given Patrik Olsson extensive expertise in evaluating diverse IP portfolios. Offering portfolio strategy advice, his clients appreciate his commercial viability assessments and his help in developing processes to build IP awareness and capture ideas as they happen. Mr Olsson specialises in wireless communications, IoT, technology, control and sensor systems, electronics and computer programs, and works primarily within the telecoms, automotive and medtech sectors.