Where Can I Find Patents?

There are various reasons why people may want to look up patents. However varied they may be, a patent search is most important to inventors. A preliminary patent search is an essential first step for inventors who want to patent their invention. In this regard, a patent search of the U.S. Patent Office, either online or in person is the most common and generally adopted method.Although internet patent searching on third party websites can be a useful tool, your knowledge and the content of certain databases may limit its effectiveness. After your idea has passed the preliminary patent search, it is worth hiring a professional to search for patents. Some are licensed by the USPTO to practice, although it is more expensive.The USPTO has a patent search program that lists various resources to aid in patent searches including;The USPTO has also produced a step by step strategy video tutorial that outlines a patent-searching procedure that can be used for any patent search tool. Additionally, a Google Patent Search will tell you when the patent was filed as well as any modifications that were made. Google Patents works similarly to Google and its traditional search interface. You enter keywords in one box and Google will search their huge database of scanned patent documents (back to 1791) for any records in which those words occur. This approach typically produces lots of results, but many of them may not be relevant. The search will take a few hours, but it is definitely worth the time.

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Conducting Patent Searches

There are several methods and approaches to search a patent database. They most common approaches however are search by assignee and search by invention subject matter. In so doing you can use your own keywords or a combination of both. If you want to search for patents by issue date or patent number, make sure to choose the right database. Once you have determined the appropriate database, you can then search by patent number or invention subject matter. You can also search patents by assignor name, application number, or publication number. Make sure to use proper assignment forms to protect yourself and the assignee. If you’re not sure how to assign patents, use a free service that provides updated data on patent transfers. You can also set up mail alerts to get notifications of any changes to the patent you’re searching for. However while there are many free resources available for patent assignment, they’re not as reliable as a paid database.

Searching by assignee

Whether you’re looking for one particular patent or an entire library of patents, you can search patents by assignee using a variety of methods. In patent law, an assignee is the person or corporation that receives an assigned patent. For independent inventors, the assignee is the same person as the inventor. Searching patents by assignee allows you to identify the inventor and assignee of a specific patent. Searching patents by assignee will give you a chain of title for each patent.

Searching by Classification

A patent classification system arranges patents in a hierarchical fashion based on their purpose. You can locate patents that pertain to the item you are interested in quickly if you know its classification. You will often be able to find patents that have been missed using a keyword search. Class-based searches are easy to perform because they allow you to specify a class name and refine your search with Boolean operators. For example, if you’re searching for patents by IBM, you’ll get results for 589 patents and 111221 for International Business Machines.

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Searching by invention subject matter

Regardless of whether you have a new product or a process that needs to be patented, searching by invention subject matter to find patents is a great way to find out if someone else has already patented something similar to yours. Finding patents by invention subject matter is difficult, but you can do it if you have the right resources. To perform a search for patents by subject matter, you must enter the name of the invention. Make sure you type the correct spelling of the name because names change over time. After entering the name, you need to choose a date range. You can choose 1976-present to find most patents. Select the invention subject matter to refine your search. Performing this search will allow you to see patents related to your product and competitor. When searching for patents by subjcet matter, it is also important to determine which inventions have similar features. If your invention is vague and generic, it’s difficult to discern a patentable idea. In the event that you’re unsure of your invention’s patentability, try searching for articles on the same subject matter. Trade journals, scientific and pharmaceutical databases, and libraries are excellent places to search for patents.

Conclusion

While a patent search can be difficult and time-consuming, free resources are available that can help you refine your search and obtain the information you need. Ultimately, pursuing your own patent is the best way to protect your new invention. Free resources such as the Trademarks Research Guide published by the Penn State University Libraries can be invaluable in this process. The United States Patent and Trademark Office, which is a division of the Department of Commerce, also offers extensive information about patents and the agency that manages them. A preliminary patent search may reveal conflicting prior art. The information may not be relevant if the invention was already disclosed by another party. Often, prior disclosures occur in the form of a demonstration or sales to third parties. The public domain may also contain a patent that is the product of someone else. These are the kinds of things that patent searches miss. This is why it is so important to conduct a thorough search on inventions before filing yours. Additionally, Patent examiners spend a lot of time on each patent application, consulting various databases to find whether the invention has been previously described. A novice searcher may miss key information if they don’t know the right strategy. A good search can help you protect your intellectual property. Just remember to be creative and search smart to find the most relevant patents.