New to Patent Searching? See this important information about searching for patents:
How to Conduct a Preliminary U.S. Patent Search: A Step by Step Strategy – Web Based Tutorial (38 minutes)
- The Seven Step Strategy – Outlines a suggested procedure for patent searching
- A detailed handout of the Seven Step Strategy with examples and screen shots.
Patents may be searched using the following resources:
- Patent Public Search
- Global Dossier
- Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR)
- Public Search Facility
- Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs)
- Patent Official Gazette
- Common Citation Document (CCD)
- Search International Patent Offices
- Search Published Sequences
- Patent Assignment Search
- Patent Examination Data System (PEDS)
Patent Public Search
The Patent Public Search tool is a new web-based patent search application that will replace internal legacy search tools PubEast and PubWest and external legacy search tools PatFT and AppFT. Patent Public Search has two user selectable modern interfaces that provide enhanced access to prior art. The new, powerful, and flexible capabilities of the application will improve the overall patent searching process.
Global Dossier
Global Dossier is a set of business services aimed at modernizing the global patent system and delivering benefits to all stakeholders through a single portal/user interface. Through this secure service, users have access to the file histories of related applications from participating IP Offices, which currently include the IP5 Offices.
By using this service, users can see the patent family for a specific application, containing all related applications filed at participating IP Offices, along with the dossier, classification, and citation data for these applications. This service also provides Office Action Indicators to help users identify applications that contain office actions, a Collections View for saving documents and applications for review later on in the session, and the ability to download the documents in an application.
Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR)
The Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system provides IP customers a safe, simple, and secure way to retrieve and download information regarding patent application status.
Public Search Facility
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Public Search Facility located in Alexandria, VA provides the public access to patent and trademark information in a variety of formats including on-line, microfilm, and print. Trained staff are available to assist public users.
