IoT & Edge Devices
Patent Strategy for IoT and Edge Systems
In a world of distributed sensing, low-power computation, and real-time responsiveness, IoT and edge devices are redefining how information is captured, processed, and acted upon. At Schmeiser Olsen, we help clients protect the innovations that enable intelligent systems to operate reliably beyond the datacenter—closer to the physical world they monitor and control.
Our team works with embedded developers, hardware engineers, and product architects to secure patents covering everything from device-level firmware and power optimization to edge inference engines, connectivity protocols, and remote management infrastructure.
We protect the technologies that bring intelligence closer to the source—where data meets action.
Patent Strategy for IoT and Edge Systems
Patent protection in this space requires a nuanced understanding of embedded constraints, communication limitations, and the integration of edge hardware with cloud infrastructure. We focus on capturing technical improvements in energy efficiency, latency, device coordination, and real-time responsiveness. We help clients protect the full architecture—from microcontroller-level execution to cloud-synced analytics pipelines. We routinely draft and prosecute patents in areas including:
Device Design & Firmware Architecture
– Real-time operating system (RTOS) integration and task scheduling
– Low-power wake/sleep cycle management and duty cycling optimization
– Embedded cryptographic modules and secure firmware execution
– On-device data preprocessing to reduce transmission and cloud load
Edge AI & Local Inference
– Lightweight model deployment (e.g., quantized CNNs, decision trees) for microcontroller execution
– Incremental learning at the edge with secure update channels
– Stream processing for time-series anomaly detection or event correlation
– Model pruning, compression, and distillation pipelines for ultra-low-latency response
Connectivity, Sync, and OTA Updates
– Energy-efficient radio protocols (e.g., BLE, LoRaWAN, Zigbee) for constrained devices
– Dual-path data sync across intermittently connected networks
– Differential OTA firmware updates with rollback protection
– Cloud-edge coordination frameworks for device provisioning, authentication, and control
Distributed Sensing & Actuation
– Sensor fusion pipelines for distributed environmental monitoring
– Real-time actuator control systems integrated with predictive analytics
– Clustered edge node coordination for workload balancing and data aggregation
– Event-triggered communication strategies based on local threshold conditions
Security & Resilience
– Hardware-backed secure element integration (TPMs, PUFs)
– Tamper detection and physical attack resistance in edge enclosures
– Embedded trust anchors for device authentication in zero-trust networks
– Secure provisioning and re-keying of fleets under operational constraints
practical insight
Navigating Patent Eligibility in IoT & Embedded Systems
Patent eligibility under §101 is less problematic in embedded and hardware-integrated contexts, but challenges can arise when claims appear too focused on generic data handling or remote control logic. Our strategy is to ground claims in the physical constraints and system-level consequences of device behavior.
We show how your invention materially improves device performance, connectivity efficiency, or system coordination under real-world deployment conditions.
We include:
– Implementation detail on microcontroller interaction, memory constraints, or signal flow
– Descriptions of device-specific behaviors (e.g., sleep states, duty cycles, signal thresholds)
– Real-world deployment factors like intermittent connectivity, environmental noise, or regulatory compliance
Partner with Counsel Who Understand Connected Devices
At Schmeiser Olsen, we support clients building the next generation of distributed intelligence—across consumer IoT, industrial automation, automotive platforms, and smart infrastructure. We bring deep understanding of the edge computing landscape, and the legal precision needed to secure innovation where compute meets the physical world.
Protect the devices that think for themselves—with patent counsel fluent in embedded systems, edge intelligence, and connected infrastructure.
Contact Schmeiser Olsen ->