 | Patent Searching | |  |
There are a number of different reasons why Patent searches are performed. However, the bottom line is that most searches are made because they either save money or at the very least will avoid severe embarrassment.
Searches are made:
To avoid spending money on Patenting something that is not new
To allay doubts about the value of an idea
To prevent infringing someone else’s rights
To keep an eye on what competitors are up to, or what the latest trends are
To get information to solve a technical problem
To find out about patented products or processes which are now free to make, use, sell or import or
To find out who owns a Patent to gain a license to specific technology.
Searching usually involves many hours and can be done by anyone who has the time and the patience. However, most people find that the searching process complicated and is best left to professional searching firms.
To learn more about these searches, helpful advice on how to search and even a few working examples of searches go to the searching part of the Virtual Library Articles
Types of Searches
The type of search performed depends on the reason behind the search and will usually generate some form of search report. Often, search reports, even those relating to identical subject matter, will look different depending on the type of search requested.
Search professionals generally recognize six search types. These are:
Due diligence search
Patentability search
Infringement search
Freedom to use search
Document Status search
Product/process specifications search
To learn more about these searches, helpful advice on how to search and even a few working examples of searches go to the Searching part of the Articles section in the Virtual IP library.
Next – Due Diligence Searching