A patent search is a dynamic process.
There are two main reasons, why a patent search should be done repetitively during the course of the invention process:
the international standard of publication of
patent applications is to protect intellectual property documents from
public access for at least 18 months post priority date. This period
can
be extended in certain circumstances. Therefore, there is always a “hidden”
pool of documents, that will only become available for search at a future
date.
a patent search is a process that involves
the use and combination of large numbers of keywords and expressions,
which cannot be thoroughly completed in one attempt.
Therefore, a patent search on an idea must be performed repeatedly and persistently.
Assuming you have an idea, and you would like to know if it is novel the logical next step is to perform a patent search covering relevant intellectual property databases.
Presently, most intellectual property organizations provide access to their databases via the world wide web.
Table
of Contents
- Who is an Inventor
- Patents and Patent Classes
- Goals of Patent Search
- Benefits From Patent Search
- Keywords: Before You Start!
- How to Search
- Tips, Tricks, and Observations
