Innovator in Self-Driving Vehicle Technology Grows Its Patent Portfolio to Attract Purchase Offers

5D Robotics was a company that specialized in ultra-wideband technology (also known as UWB or ultraband). UWB is a radio technology for short-range, high-bandwidth communications over a large portion of the radio spectrum. Among other things it is used for radar imaging as part of precision tracking and locating systems.

In this case, 5D’s UWB technology was being leveraged to provide incredible precision in the operation of autonomous, self-driving cars. For example, the company’s systems can guide a vehicle to park with its tires within a centimeter of the curb or instantly identify a pedestrian stepping into the roadway so that braking can be initiated.

5D Robotics’ board of directors wanted to position the company for acquisition. However, our team recognized that to be more appealing to potential purchasers, the company would have to do a better job of positioning itself as an innovator and thought leader.

Increasing a Company’s Value with Patented IP

To bring more of 5D Robotics’ marketable intellectual property to light, we developed a program in which we had a series of meetings with the company’s engineers and posed questions that helped them flesh out and document their unique ideas for new products. As a result of these meetings, we filed 25 provisional patent applications in six months.

Not only did this program begin the process of protecting those ideas, it also demonstrated that the company had a full pipeline of future innovations that would be part of the package when they were acquired. This strategy was successful, as 5D Robotics was bought by a larger company, meeting the founder’s objective and allowing its team to continue their groundbreaking research and development.