Why European patents?
RPE uses the published European equivalent when defining a patent family. The reasons are simple. The EPO issues search results and patentability opinions very early. Therefore, it is very early possible to find out about major patentability and disclosure problems of an invention. Also, since three Examiners are ultimately involved in the examination of a case, major deviations from the examination standards are less likely. RPE uses the published results of the EPO for a rating identifying risks associated with a patent asset. The rating should not be confused with the value of the patents asset. Rather it should be considered as an indication for the survivability risks associated with the patent asset.