Patent searching

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Patent searching

• Dr Jo Shaw
• 25 June 2008

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Why search patent databases?

• Is my idea patentable?
• Will I infringe other patents?
• Can I invalidate this patent?
• What are my competitors patenting?

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Patent databases

• US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
• Espace - European Patent Office (EPO)
• WIPO database includes links to national patent
  offices
• Google patent search
• Delphion, Dialog, GlobalPat, Latipat, Patent
  Lens, Publicus

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Types of patent searches

• Patentability search
• Any document disclosing the invention
• Freedom to operate (FTO) search
• Live patent (or application) claiming any feature
  of the technology being used
• Validity search
• Watching search

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Searching choices

• Keywords
• broad, narrow, long strings
• abstract, claims, full text etc

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Narrowing with keywords

• Key word
• polymer
• polypropylene
• polypropylene and (fabric or material or cloth
  or garment)
• polypropylene and (fabric or material or cloth
  or garment) and (wet suit or (wetsuit))

• Hits
• 548,550
• 51,454
• 20,744
• 2

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Keyword location
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Searching choices

• Keywords
• broad, narrow, long strings
• abstract, claims, full text etc
• IPC classes

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IPC classes

• A23C 9/123
• A human necessity
• 23 foodstuffs
• C dairy industry
• 9 milk products
• 123 milk in dried or compressed form
• C07 organic chemistry
• C09 dyes and paints
• C12 sugar industry

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Searching choices

• Keywords
• broad, narrow, long strings
• abstract, claims, full text etc
• IPC classes
• Dates
• Filing date, priority date, expiry date
• Specific fields
• Applicant, inventor, publication number

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Patentability vs FTO

• All documents relevant
• Assessing disclosure as a whole
• No geographical limits
• May stop when one document found that precludes
  patentability

• Only live patents ( applications) relevant
• Assessing the scope of the claims only
• Country by country
• Attempt to find all relevant documents

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Patentability search

• Novelty
• Documents describing the combination of
  paracetamol, pseudoephidrine and vitamin C
• Inventiveness
• Documents describing combinations of other pain
  killers, decongestants and vitamins/antioxidants

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Infringement 1
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Infringement 2
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Infringement 3
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Infringement 4
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Patent claims

• A composition for osmotic decongestion and
  moisturization of the nasal passages consising
  essentially of
• (a) water
• (b) a ciliary stimulant
• (c) a mucus thinning agent
• (d) glycerin and
• (e) a preservative.

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Patent claims

• A method of delivering a nasal spray comprising
  delivering from a sprayer to a subjects nose a
  spray pattern having a longest axis of 20-45 mm,
  a shortest axis of 14-20 mm and an ellipticity of
  1-1.8.

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Important points about FTO

• FTO search covers much wider subject matter
• May not be able to assess infringement risks at
  time of search

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Summary

• There are many ways of searching patent databases
• Think about the type of information youre trying
  to get before starting your search
• Get expert advice