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.
Free Patent Databases
The PATENTSCOPE database provides access to international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications.
The USPTO houses full text for patents issued from 1976 to the present and PDF images for all patents from 1790 to the present. Patents may be searched in the USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT).
Espacenet is a free online service for searching patents and patent applications. Espacenet was developed by the European Patent Office together with the member states of the European Patent Organisation.
Commercial Patent Databases
Please contact ILC to get the support in searching in commercial databases.
