Many companies use clearance searches and freedom to practice opinions to determine whether products are worth pursuing commercially. A freedom to practice opinion is often sought early in the development process to determine whether a product or idea is worth investing research and development time and expenses. Clearance searches can also be helpful during the design process to help identify relevant patents which should be designed around. Generally speaking, it is nearly always better to have this type of information early in the process before you’ve invested significant time and money in a product’s development.