What is design portfolio management?

Design portfolio management is a specialist field that focuses on establishing the right relationship between a product’s appearance, its legal protection and the business’s commercial goals in managing design rights. Kupon Patent provides advice on identifying needs and building a course of action that fits the specific file. In Türkiye, design rights are protected under Industrial Property Law No. 6769 and related legislation. A design is the appearance of the whole or a part of a product resulting from features such as its lines, shape, form, colour, material or surface texture. Design protection differs from the protection a patent gives to a technical invention.

Portfolio inventory and design families

• Portfolio inventory
• Registrations, applications, design variants, right holders, countries and related product families are classified in a single management system.

• Design families and variants
• Different visual variants of a product range may require separate rights. Multiple application conditions and visual consistency are assessed.

Renewal calendar and cost optimisation

• Renewal calendar
• Registered design rights can be renewed in five-year periods, and the total term of protection cannot exceed 25 years. A multi-stage check is set up for renewal dates and payments.

• Cost optimisation
• The maintenance budget is planned by taking into account the commercial importance of each design, the sales cycle of the related product and its value in the target market.

International country strategy, licensing and assignment

• International country strategy
• Countries where there is manufacturing, sales, distribution or a risk of imitation are prioritised. Filing deadlines and country-specific costs are tracked.

• Licensing and assignment
• Register, contract and scope records are kept up to date so that design rights can be licensed, assigned and used in commercial partnerships.

Risk, competitor management and management reports

• Risk and competitor management
• Competitor designs, new publications, possible invalidity risks and similar products on the market are reviewed regularly.

• Management reports
• The portfolio’s geographical spread, renewal workload, link to active products and the records that require a decision are reported to management.

What matters in practice?

In practice, the product category, the country concerned, existing records and the way the design is used commercially should be considered together. A standard checklist may not be enough on its own; the scope of research and the legal consequences vary according to the specific documents. At this stage Kupon Patent helps gather the necessary documents, classify the risks and prepare well-reasoned decisions.

Working steps

The same steps are followed for inventory, renewals, costs, country strategy, licensing, risk and reporting.

• Definition: First, the product or right is defined.
• Review: Next, the existing documents and data sources are reviewed.
• Written outcome: Once the comparative assessment is complete, the key findings, uncertainties, priority actions and follow-up calendar are set out in writing.

How we work at Kupon Patent

• Initial assessment: The product group, ownership, target market and existing documents are identified.
• Scope and method: The scope of the research or management work and the content of the report to be delivered are clarified.
• Technical and legal review: Visual features, records, dates and the relevant legislation are examined together.
• Reporting and follow-up: Findings, risks and recommended next steps are presented clearly.