A patent search is a process of looking for existing patents or published patent applications that may be relevant to a new invention or product. Patent searches can be conducted for a variety of reasons, such as to determine if an invention is novel and non-obvious, to assess the potential market for a product, or to identify potential partners or competitors. Patent searches can be performed manually by searching through published patent documents or electronically using online databases. It is important to conduct a thorough patent search before investing time and resources into the development of a new invention or product, as it can help to identify potential roadblocks or challenges that may need to be addressed. Additionally, a patent search can provide valuable insights into the state of the art in a particular field and help to inform the direction of future research and development.