Maintenance & Enforcement
How much time is left on my patent, and does it change my strategy?
The short answer
US utility patents run 20 years from the earliest filing date — check yours in any patent database. And yes, remaining term changes everything: academic value studies focus on full-term patents because value concentrates there, and practitioners discount steeply once under about five years remain.
The full picture
The strategy by remaining runway: 10+ years — the full menu is open; patient licensing campaigns maximize total return. 5–10 years — move now; buyers still pay, but the discount grows annually. Under 5 years — speed beats price; sell to the most motivated buyer or license to incumbents already shipping, because a license that outlives the patent is worthless to them.
Two levers owners forget: patent term adjustment (USPTO delays can add time — check your patent's front page) and live family members (a pending continuation resets the effective clock). If your runway is short, the worst strategy is the default one — another year of deciding. A quick review tells you exactly how much clock you really have.
Where does your patent stand?
The Beyond the Patent Commercialization Score answers that — a professional, factor-by-factor read on your patent's licensing, sale, build, and partner potential.
Related questions
General information for patent owners — not legal advice. Read the disclaimer.