A study of designing around patents based on Function Trimming

In the era of knowledge-based economy, the patent barriers are getting more and more serious for enterprises when they enter the market, the space for the development of their technology is getting smaller and smaller. Resultantly designing around patents is particularly important. Therefore systematically innovative methods are badly needed to guide the enterprises to achieve better avoiding effects. This paper will combines the rules of patent infringement judgment with the modes of Function-trimming and construct an integrated process for designing around patents though Function Trimming in TRIZ and patent infringement judgment. And it greatly increases the possibility of design-around. Redesign of the spiral bevel gear milling machine to design around an existing patent is used to illustrate the integrated process.