Engineering Librarian
Get Started with Patent Searching
The reasons to search for patents are numerous, as are the ways to conduct a good patent search. This guide provides a few examples demonstrating how to search for patents, especially as it relates to prior art searching.
If you have questions please don't hesitate to contact me!
Quick Links:
- Espacenet patent search
- Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) - hierarchy and description
- Google Patents - not as up-to-date as Espacenet or USPTO databases
- Pat2Pdf.org - patents are available in PDF format
- Search USPTO Patents and Applications - these are two separate databases PatFT and AppFT
Recommended Search Strategy
Granted patents and some patent applications are freely available from a variety of sources.
- Google Patents is a good place to start (NOTE: Google Patents does not provide complete patent coverage compared to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and European Patent Office (Espacenet).
- Traditionally librarians have been trained to search the USPTO but I believe using Espacenet is a better way to search for patents. Espacenet Assistant provides training on search strategies, power tips, background information and more.
| Watch this excellent 8 minute video from the University of Michigan. |
Key takeaways:
- Espacenet Advanced Search
- Keyword searching can get you to a few relevant patents, but searching by classification is a MUST
- in 2015 the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) replaced the United States Patent Classification (USPC) system
- Cooperative Patent Classification - hierarchy and description
Recommended Tutorials
General
- Why search for patents? MIT (5 minute video)
- How to read a U.S. patent document - Queen's University Library
- Seven Step Strategy - USPTO
- Patent Searching - tutorial from the University of Minnesota Libraries
Searching Espacenet
- Patent Searching Tutorial using Espacenet - great 8-minute video tutorial from the University of Michigan Library
- How to do a patent search - UCF Libraries
- Espacenet Assistant - "This interactive training course offers everything you need to use Espacenet efficiently: search strategies, power tips, background information and more"
- e-learning centre - free courses from the European Patent Office
Additional Resources
Harvard Resources:
- Office of Technology Development (OTD)
- Protecting Intellectual Property
- News - each month the OTD provides a list of newly granted patents assigned to President and Fellows of Harvard College
Miscellaneous:
- Collegiate Inventors Competition - National Inventors Hall of Fame
- Patents: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - see how patent trolls abuse the patent system (YouTube video)
Additional Patent Databases
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Chemical Abstracts (Scifinder Scholar) (1947-)SciFinder is the most comprehensive database for coverage of chemistry & chemical engineering. It has the world's largest collection of organic and inorganic substance information. The web version of SciFinder provides integrated access to CAPlus, CAS Registry, CASREACT, CHEMLIST, and CHEMCATS which are produced by Chemical Abstracts Service, and to MEDLINE which is produced by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Sources covered in SciFinder include 10,000 journals, patents from 61 patent authorities, book chapters, conference proceedings, dissertations, evaluated reference works, technical reports, as well as book reviews and biographical information
Derwent Innovations Index 1963 - Present (Thomson Scientific / ISI Web Services)
Value-added patent information from Derwent World Patent Index® as well as patent citation information from Patents Citation Index