---
title: "About"
description: "Who makes DesignAround, what the software does, where it runs, where your data goes, and that it is not a law firm."
url: "https://designaround.elidot.com/about/"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-10-30"
---

# About

DesignAround is software for product sellers and designers, made by Shanghai Qidianyan Technology Co., Ltd. (上海奇点砚科技有限公司).

## Company

DesignAround is a product of **Shanghai Qidianyan Technology Co., Ltd.** (上海奇点砚科技有限公司).

AddressRoom 218, Building 3, No. 336 Tianjiao Road, Lingang New Area, Shanghai 201306, China Email[support@elidot.com](mailto:support@elidot.com)

We reply within 3 business days (Monday to Friday, China Standard Time, UTC+8). Billing, privacy and security requests use the same address. See the [contact page](https://designaround.elidot.com/contact/).

## What DesignAround is

DesignAround checks a product's appearance against published design patents in the US, China and Europe, helps change the design until it is visibly different, and prepares patent drawings and a filing package for your own application. On your computer it is a desktop app, a command-line tool, a chat workbench, an agent Skill and an MCP server.

## Where it runs

The program runs on your computer. It keeps the CAD engine, your models and your cases there. The server at designaround.elidot.com handles your account, registry searches and hosted AI models. You can also bring your own model key, or let your agent host supply the model.

## Where your data goes

Cases, CAD files, renders, drawings and the evidence log are stored on your computer, in `~/.designaround`. The server receives only what a server step needs: the search text and product image for a screen, model prompts when you use our hosted models, hash values when you anchor the evidence log, and the files you put in a share link. The [privacy policy](https://designaround.elidot.com/privacy/) lists each kind of data, who receives it and how long it is kept.

## Not a law firm

DesignAround is software, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice or freedom-to-operate opinions. A screen is a starting point, and no search covers every registration. A registered patent attorney or agent you choose reviews and files an application; you pay their fees and the office fees directly to them.

## Version and updates

The current published version is 0.1.3. `designaround --version` shows the version installed on your computer. The [changelog](https://designaround.elidot.com/changelog/) lists changes to the app, the service and this website, newest first.

## Guides

Four guides cover checking a product for design patents, an Amazon design-patent complaint, designing around a design patent, and drawing requirements in the US, China and the EU. Each guide works without DesignAround. Read them in [English](https://designaround.elidot.com/guides/) or [Chinese](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/guides/).