# DesignAround

> DesignAround is software for product sellers and designers. It checks a product's appearance against published design patents in the US, China and Europe, compares the closest designs the way an ordinary observer would, helps change the design until it is visibly different, and prepares patent drawings and a filing package for the user's own application. It runs on the user's computer (desktop app, CLI, chat workbench, agent Skill and MCP server); a small server at designaround.elidot.com handles accounts, registry searches and hosted AI models. Made by Shanghai Qidianyan Technology Co., Ltd. (上海奇点砚科技有限公司). DesignAround is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

Key facts for agents:

- Version 0.1.3, updated 2026-10-30. Desktop apps: macOS 13.5+ (Apple silicon, Intel), Windows 10/11 x64, Linux x64 (.deb, .rpm).
- Install the CLI: `uv tool install designaround --python 3.12` (or `python3.12 -m pip install designaround`). Python 3.11 or 3.12. Mirror: `uv tool install designaround --python 3.12 --index https://designaround.elidot.com/simple/`
- Get a free key: `designaround onboard` (stores the key in the OS keychain; never pass keys on the command line). Check it: `designaround auth status`.
- MCP server (stdio): `designaround mcp`; print host configs with `designaround mcp --print-config`. Tools: case_list, decision_card, screen, design_around, run_status, viewpack, compare. Paid tools require `max_credits`.
- Agent Skill: `designaround skill install claude-code` (also codex, cursor, gemini-cli, opencode, openclaw, kiro). Discovery index: https://designaround.elidot.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json
- Paid CLI commands need `--max-credits` when run by an agent and never spend more. Agents never complete payments; `billing checkout` returns a URL for a person.
- Prices: Free (local engine, 1,500 starter credits once, 5 quick screens a month, watermarked drawings); Pro US$59/month or US$590/year (10,000 credits a month, filing packages); Team US$189/month (40,000 credits a month). 1 credit is about US$0.01. Quick screen 50 credits, deep screen 350.
- Support: support@elidot.com (reply within 3 business days).

## Product

- [DesignAround · Design-patent screening and design-around for product sellers](https://designaround.elidot.com/index.md): Check a product against US, Chinese and European design patents before you list it, change the design until it stands apart, then prepare patent drawings and a filing package for your own design.
- [Pricing](https://designaround.elidot.com/pricing/index.md): DesignAround plans: Free, Pro at US$59 per month and Team at US$189 per month, plus credit packs for server screening and hosted AI models.
- [Download](https://designaround.elidot.com/download/index.md): Download the DesignAround desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux. It bundles the local CAD engine, the assistant and its agent runtime, so nothing else needs to be installed.
- [Docs](https://designaround.elidot.com/docs/index.md): Install the DesignAround CLI, get a free key, and run a screen, a design-around and patent drawings from the workbench, the terminal or your agent host.
- [Changelog](https://designaround.elidot.com/changelog/index.md): What changed in DesignAround, newest first: app versions, service changes and website updates, with the known limits of the current version.
- [About](https://designaround.elidot.com/about/index.md): Who makes DesignAround, what the software does, where it runs, where your data goes, and that it is not a law firm.
- [Contact](https://designaround.elidot.com/contact/index.md): Contact DesignAround support: email, company details and registered address.

## Guides

- [Guides: design patents for product sellers](https://designaround.elidot.com/guides/index.md): Plain-language guides for sellers and designers: checking a product for design patents, answering an Amazon design-patent complaint, designing around a design patent, and drawing requirements in the US, China and the EU.
- [How to check a product for design patents before you sell it](https://designaround.elidot.com/guides/check-design-patents-before-selling/index.md): Where to search US, Chinese and EU design registrations, how to compare the closest designs the way an ordinary observer would, and which designs no search can find yet.
- [What to do when Amazon removes a listing for a design patent complaint](https://designaround.elidot.com/guides/amazon-design-patent-complaint/index.md): Why Amazon's APEX process does not apply to design patents, the ways a removed listing comes back, the deadlines in a Schedule A lawsuit, and what to prepare for your attorney.
- [How to design around a design patent](https://designaround.elidot.com/guides/design-around-a-design-patent/index.md): Which changes make a product look different to an ordinary observer in the US, China and the EU, which common changes do not help, a step-by-step method, and how to protect the new design.
- [Design patent drawing requirements in the US, China and the EU](https://designaround.elidot.com/guides/design-patent-drawing-requirements/index.md): Views, lines, shading, broken lines, file formats and the required text for USPTO, CNIPA and EUIPO design applications, side by side, with official fees, terms and sources.

## 中文

- [DesignAround 中文介绍 · 外观专利筛查与规避设计](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/index.md): 上架前把产品和美国、中国、欧洲已公开的外观设计比一比，改到明显不同为止，再生成各局格式的专利图和申请材料包。桌面应用、命令行、聊天工作台、Skill 和 MCP 服务器。
- [关于我们](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/about/index.md): DesignAround 是谁做的、软件做什么、在你的电脑上运行还是在服务器上运行、数据去哪，以及它不是律所。
- [外观专利指南：写给跨境卖家和产品设计师](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/guides/index.md): 写给卖家和设计师的外观设计专利指南：上架前怎么查外观专利，亚马逊外观专利投诉怎么办，外观专利规避设计怎么做，以及美国、中国、欧盟的图纸要求对比。
- [上架前怎么查外观专利：美国、中国、欧盟查哪里、怎么比](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/guides/check-design-patents-before-selling/index.md): 上架前在美国、中国、欧盟分别去哪里查外观设计专利，怎样按普通观察者的标准和最接近的设计比较，以及哪些设计任何检索都还查不到。
- [亚马逊外观专利投诉怎么办：APEX、撤诉、申诉和 Schedule A](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/guides/amazon-design-patent-complaint/index.md): 亚马逊因为外观设计专利下架链接后怎么办：为什么 APEX 用不了，撤诉、申诉、诉讼、改款各怎么走，被 Schedule A 批量起诉时的期限，以及要给律师准备哪些材料。
- [外观专利规避设计怎么做：改哪些特征才算明显不同](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/guides/design-around-a-design-patent/index.md): 外观设计专利的规避设计：美国、中国、欧盟怎么判断近似，哪些常见改法没用，哪些改法有效，一步一步的流程，以及改完之后怎么申请自己的外观专利。
- [美国、中国、欧盟外观专利图纸要求对比](https://designaround.elidot.com/zh/guides/design-patent-drawing-requirements/index.md): USPTO、国家知识产权局和 EUIPO 外观设计申请的视图数量、线条、阴影、虚线、文件格式和必交文字，逐项对比，附三地官费、保护期和来源。

## Policies

- [Terms of Service](https://designaround.elidot.com/terms/index.md): Terms of Service for DesignAround, the design-patent screening and design-around software by Shanghai Qidianyan Technology Co., Ltd.
- [Privacy Policy](https://designaround.elidot.com/privacy/index.md): What data DesignAround collects, where it is processed, who receives it, how long it is kept and how to exercise your rights.
- [Refund Policy](https://designaround.elidot.com/refund/index.md): When and how you can get a refund for DesignAround subscriptions and credit packs, and how to cancel.
- [Acceptable Use Policy](https://designaround.elidot.com/aup/index.md): Rules for using DesignAround: create genuinely different designs, respect others' rights and do not misuse the online services.

## Optional

- [Full text of every page](https://designaround.elidot.com/llms-full.txt): all pages above as Markdown in one file

- [Refunds](https://designaround.elidot.com/refunds/index.md): same page as /refund/.