Types of searches

Strategic Landscape

High level searches, aimed at helping businesses understand and analyze trends throughout a significantly large group of patents. Also used to uncover white space/niches in specific technology fields. Relevant patents are located using broad search strategies and are categorized and charted as directed by our clients’ requests.

Invalidity/Validity

A search for both patent and non-patent literature, focused towards specific claims of a patent. Such a search can help block patents, establish the strength of a patent portfolio, which may be useful for licensing or company acquisition, or used in litigation.

State-of-the-Art

A broad search to screen patents and/or patent applications which disclose a specific, or multiple specific features of a product or process.

This type of search is also known as a Collection Search.

 

Freedom To Operate

Identify US and/or International patent art which suggest a proposed product/method either in patents which are still in force or have expired. FTOs may also cover product announcements in anticipation of potential future patents.

Patentability/Novelty

A first step to determine whether or not a potentially inventive idea is new or novel.

This type of search screens US and international art looking for similar inventions.

 

Infringement

Search(es) conducted to Identify in-force US patents or applications which may claim a proposed product or process. Also known as Clearance searches.

Search Sources

a

Patent Search

We use state-of-the-art commercial patent search tools. Additionally, due to our office's proximity to the USPTO search facilites we may also use the USPTO's EAST search platform.

b

Online NPL

We have access to a variety of online non-patent literature (NPL) databases and search engines.

c

Library Searching

Non-patent literature (NPL) searching at local libraries offfers a vast source of publications,which are not available in electronic format. Our location in the greater DC area allows us quick acces to local library shelves and databases. We can perform local library searching at the US Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine/NIH, University of Maryland and George Mason University.

How we work

1You provide us with a brief description of your subject features (e.g., drawings, application, sample claims, actual product, etc.) and tell us the type of search you would like us to conduct.
2We provide you with a free time and price estimate, indicating an initial field of search (e.g., USPTO/ECLA/IPC classification areas, patent and NPL resources) that we plan on using for the search.
3You authorize the search, indicating the desired completion time frame, price option, method of search results delivery. A call with a researcher to discuss specific search features may occur during various stages.
4 We complete the work and provide our results in electronic format (unless otherwise requested).