Patents
U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) patent database. Includes all U.S.
Patents issued since 1790 to the most recent weekly issue date (usually
each Tuesday). Full text keyword searching is available for patents
issued since January 1, 1976. Patents from 1790 through 1975 are
currently searchable only by patent number and current US classification.
Text files are directly viewable with a web browser; images require
a TIFF G4 plug-in for your browser. Free TIFF image software is
available from Alternatiff.
Drawings of all patents, and patents released prior to 1976 are
viewable only with image software. A quick
guide to key word searching is available on this site; further
tips and help for advanced searching is available on the USPTO page.
Delphion Intellectural Asses
Management (formerly the IBM Intellectual Property Network)
Index to the U.S. patents issued since 1971, with full text images
of all U.S. patents issued after 1974. Also includes some international
patent databases (esp Europe and Japan). The database may be searched
by patent number or by keywords in most fields (title, inventor,
classification, etc.). Basic searching is free but requires registration;
other property rights services are available by subscription.
STO's Internet
Patent Search System . The Source Translation and Optimization
(STO) service provides searching of U.S. Patents by Subject (Classification
codes) for all years 1790-present. Abstracts for patents between
1981-1989 are also available in this database. This Web site also
has the Manual
of Classification and The
Index to Classification available in digital form. No key
word searching, but online keyword searching of the classification
manuals allow for classification searching.
Canadian Patents:
This database lets you access over 75 years of patent descriptions
and full text images of Canadian Patents. Searchable by keyword,
patent number or inventor.
Trilateral
Database: Index to European and Japanese (as well as U.S.) patent
information. Bibliographic data, abstracts, and representative drawing
are included; full text of patents is not available. Searchable
by region, with links to patent offices of individual countries.
Derwent Scientific & Patent
Information WWW Server: (Dialog)Derwent is a commercial firm
specializing in patent information and providing access to the international
patent literature through its online patent database, patent document
delivery, and patent translation services. Derwent's services are
not available for free. Derwent's Global Patent Resource Manual
provides useful information about international patent classification
and patent application procedures.
European Patent Office.
Established in 1973, the EPO is the outcome of Europe's effort to
establish a uniform patent system.
Japanese
Patent Office
World Intellectual Property Organization.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is an intergovernmental
organization with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The WIPO
is responsible for the promotion of the protection of intellectual
property throughout the world.
General Information about Patents:
Patent searchers beware!!!
"Searching for Patents" is different from "Doing a
Patent Search". You can search for patents from a number of
sources at the NDSU Library and on the web. However, doing a
patent search involves a comprehensive search of the complete
record of inventions; such a patent search involves resources beyond
those in our library, and beyond those available to the general
public via the web. The resources of a Patent and Trademark Depository
Library are needed, as well as a patent lawyer or other patent professional.
Searching for Patents can be excellent means of
identifying of state of the art as well as historical technology.
The majority of patents contain technical information never published
anywhere else. As such they provide a way to gather information
on technological advances, technological history, as well as providing
protection for inventors.
This method comprehensive and similar to the process
professional patent researchers use; it involves browsing through
classification numbers for similar inventions. For a less comprehensive,
easier method, see Subject searching for patents.
- Begin with the Index to the U.S. Patent Classification
System . (Ref. T223 .A25) This is an alphabetical subject
index to the Manual of Classification. Look up common terms
describing the invention, and note suggested classification and
subclassification numbers.
- Check your selected classification number(s) in the Manual
of Classification (Doc. C 21.12: or on the World
Wide Web) The Manual is a hierarchical outline of all
patented technologies. You may also want to consult the Classification
Definitions: Patent Classification Definitions (microform
Docs. C 21.3/2:990) This resource has detailed definitions of
the subject matter in each class and subclass. (This step is valuable
if you're doing a "real" comprehensive search.The Commissioner
of Patents & Trademarks, Patent Search Division, in Washington
DC will provide for free general classes and/or subclasses
of an idea. Request this service from them and include features
of the structure, how it works, intended uses and rough sketches
viewed from all sides. Your nearest depository library can provide
the patent numbers of these class listings, which you should check
in the Official Gazette (see below).
- Obtain a list of patents in your subclass: either consult a
depository library, or check your classification numbers in one
of the Web sites. For finding patents by classification number
go to either the U.S.
Patent Office Database, or STO's
Internet Patent Search System as they contain U.S. Patents
titles and citations information for all years (1790-present).
- To make sure your patent numbers are appropriate, check them
in the Official Gazette of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office: Patents. (Ref. Microfiche T223 .A23)
The Gazette provides a summary and representative drawing of every
patent issued since 1790 (NDSU only has 1986-1999, however). The
Gazette is arranged by patent number. Or, check your patent number
in the Patent & Trademark office web site, or the IBM, or STO
web sites.
- Look at the complete patents. Go to the UND library, request
the patents from our InterLibrary Loan office, or check the U.S.
PTO web site (for U.S.patents more recent than 1976).
- Subject (or consignee, author, etc.) searching is available
from a number of online web servers. There is no controlled vocabulary
for these sites and, to be thorough, you should also search by
classification numbers . However,
for a quick and easy search, these sites work well.
- Many patents are indexed in regularly used bibliographic databases
such as Chemical Abstracts, CAB, INSPEC, EI CSA Engineering Databases and others.
- Subject searching is available from numerous public and commercial
Patent web servers:.
- NOTE none of the online sites include the complete text
(including images) for all patents, for all years, although
the U.S.PTO and the IBM site have full text back to the mid
1970's. If the full text is not available, check the numerous
patent libraries or suppliers.
Both the Minneapolis Public Library, and the UND
Chester Fritz Library is a designated Patent and Trademark
Depository Library. In its collections, it has over 5 million
patents and 2 million trademarks issued by the United States
Patent and Trademark Office. The holdings of the Chester Fritz
depository include the design, utility, plant and reissue patents
from 1960 to the present. The Depository Library also contains
a complete run of the Official Gazette and various indexes and
informational publications regarding patents and trademarks.
The NDSU Library maintains basic collections of reference
materials related to patents. The print versions of the Manual,
Index, and Patent Definitions are available in paper in the
Main Library. Our InterLibrary Loan office can supply U.S. and
international patents; there is a charge for older U.S. patents,
and all international patents. (you should expect to pay about
$25 for each.)
Commercial providers: various patent suppliers (Derwent, Rapid
Patent, etc.) are available to provide patents.
Further information about patent searching:
Patent
Portal by Richard S. Gruner. Useful guide and starting point
to finding Patent information on the Internet.
What Every Engineer Should Know About Patents, 2nd
ed. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1989. (KF3114.8 W48 1989)
A patent search should only be considered preliminary.
Consult a patent attorney to interpret intellectual property
law or offer legal advice.
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Last Updated: March 11, 2008