Patent Search Report
Researching Patents can help an Inventor discover similar Inventions
A patent search report, or what is sometimes referred to as a preliminary patentability search and report is much more general. Typically, in a patent search you simply look for a patent which may include the claimed novelty of the present invention. A patent search is typically less expensive than a patent opinion.
Three things you should know before beginning any business: What it is that you do, what it is that your competition does and how do you differentiate between them. The same rationale applies to patents. Before applying for a patent, you should know what others have done, what you are doing and how are you going to differentiate between them. A professional patentability search can help with that. Initially, you may want to preform a patent search using the patent search feature from our website or other internet sites freely available. In addition, a professional patentability report can help determine the probability of success in obtaining a patent and if the invention meets some of the basic patent requirements, namely that the invention is new and non-obvious. In order to conduct a search, a patent attorney may need a concise description of the invention, various alternative embodiments, the invention’s perceived novelty and its functionality. A large portion of this information may be obtained through the use of an invention disclosure document. After the patent attorney conducts a search of relevant patent records within the Patent Office, we can prepare a patentability search report summarizing the results and the outlining the scope of potential patent protection available based on the results of the patent search.
Unless specifically requested, foreign patents, periodicals and textbooks are typically not searched for the Patent Search Report since they are not typically classified or as accessible as the United States Patents. As a result of the patentability search report, the inventor should have a better understanding of the potentially patentable aspects of the invention and be able to identify alternative embodiments of the invention. Although a patentability search and report is similar to an infringement opinion analysis, the scope is different and the results of a patentability report should not be considered as responsive to the issue of infringement because infringement and patentability are two separate issues.
Contact us to discuss preparing a patent search report with one of our patent attorneys or continue reviewing more information on our website related to patents and the patenting process.