# Freedom to operate (FTO)

A legal opinion assessing whether a product, process, or service can be commercialized without infringing any valid, in-force patents held by others. FTO searches are typically conducted before launching a product. An FTO opinion does not guarantee safety from infringement claims, but a good-faith, well-documented FTO analysis can reduce willfulness damages if litigation occurs.

**Full entry:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary/freedom-to-operate

**All patent terms:** https://patentbrief.org/glossary

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. A plain-English glossary of US patent terms._