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Welcome to Part Five!
Welcome to Part Five!
In this module, you will learn about patents and standards, two types of science & engineering literature.
In the patents module, you will learn about...
the value and purpose of patents
types of patents, criteria for patentability
strategies and resources for patent searching
In the standards module, you will learn...
What are standards and specifications, and why do they matter?
How are standards developed and organized?
How do engineers use standards?
Finding standards at NC State University Libraries
Problems with the module? Feedback? Further questions? Get in touch at library_engineering@ncsu.edu!
Patents
Patents
Studying the information within a patent is a great way to gain technical understanding, but finding patents is sometimes challenging. Watch the video for a quick introduction to patents and how to locate them.
Contact Greg Tourino with your questions!
Resources for finding patents:
Resources for finding patents:
Derwent Innovations Index This database is the one we recommend first due to its ease of use and thorough coverage of patents and patent applications. The database is updated daily, covers U.S. and global patents, and includes text to help you understand the information disclosed in the patent. Also, it is easy to cite patents directly from the database. Note: Derwent Innovations Index uses the Web of Science platform. You may have to select Derwent Innovations Index from the drop down menu to before searching for patents.
US Patent Office This database is comprehensive but a bit challenging to use. Try using Derwent Innovations Index first.
Espacenet.com This database is also comprehensive and includes both U.S. and Global patents, but it is also not user-friendly.
Google Patents This database is easy to use but does not cover all patents and is not regularly updated. Also, there are many spelling errors in the data, which may hamper your search efforts.
Lens.org This database is easy to use and includes great visualizations. Unfortunately, it is not updated daily, so it can not be used for a thorough patent search.
NC State University's Patent and Trademark Resources Center Through the PTRC, you can consult with a knowledgeable patent expert to help you with patent searching.
Need help?
Need help?
For more information about patents or patent searching, feel free to contact any of the engineering librarians at library_engineering@ncsu.edu or contact Greg Tourino directly.
Standards and Specifications
Standards and Specifications
What are standards and specifications?
What are standards and specifications?
Watch this video to learn about standards and specifications.
Finding Standards at NC State University Libraries
Finding Standards at NC State University Libraries
Watch the brief video on the right to learn about finding standards and specifications on our website.
NC State University Libraries Standards
This link has a listing of standards available at the Libraries. The menu on the left-hand side of the Standards page has more information to help you locate standards.
If you are unable to find the standard you need, feel free to request it using Tripsaver or contact Ask Us for help.
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