Free Patent Search
Conducting a patent search is an indispensable requirement before filing for a patent. Firstly, it helps determine the patentability of an invention. It also highlights the similarity of the invention with the prior arts, allowing the inventor to make some changes in the invention and thus make it patentable. Given the significance of a patent search, it is important to know that it is conducted online via a myriad of patent search databases. There are free patent searches as well as paid databases. Some of the free patent search databases and their basic functions are listed below:
1. Free patents online
On this website, the user can choose to conduct a country-specific search. The patent sources of the countries available on this website are US Patents, US Patent Applications, EP documents, Abstracts of Japan, WIPO (PCT), and German Patents (Beta).
Even non-patent literature may be accessed with this database. (Non-patent literature refers to that documents and publications that are not patents but are cited as references for being relevant in a patent prosecution). The database also has an option for expert search or quick search. In a quick search, the user may conduct the patent search according to the various headings such as date of filing, publication date, name of assignee, name of inventor, and so on.
2. Espacenet
This database allows full-text searches in English, French, or German. It has three options for search; Smart search, Advanced search, and Classification search. In the advanced search, the user can conduct the search under different headings such as title, abstract, publication number, etc. The classification search allows the user to search for a specific class.
3. Patentscope (WIPO)
This database has the options of simple, advanced search, field combination, and cross-lingual expansion. A simple search allows search by name, date, international classification, etc. Field combination has the following headings under which the search may be conducted: WIPO publication number, application number, and so on, in combination with Booleans.
4. USPTO Patent Search
This database allows patent searches to be conducted using the following resources:
USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT)
USPTO Patent Application Full-Text and Image Database (AppFT)
Global Patent Search Network (GPSN)
Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR)
Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs)
Common Citation Document (CCD)
Search International Patent Offices
5. Google Patents Search
It has separate sections for patent search and prior art finder. The patent search can include non-patent literature and also 120 million patent documents.
6. InPASS
This Indian patent office database allows for a full-text search of all Indian patents and Patent Applications. Apart from this, InPASS also allows a person to conduct a free patent search using Wild Cards and Boolean Operators. Additionally, regarding how to use InPASS, please refer to the blog post on how to conduct Indian patent search.