When you are going with your patent application in the patent office, it is very important to see if your invention is novel. Only a unique invention with a new idea is applicable to get the patent grant that is why patent research is important. Working hard to attain a patent that already exists is nothing more than a waste of time.
Patent research is important for the applicant to avoid unnecessary office action or rejection later on. A wide database search can help you in many ways and is worth it and it provides all the necessary information.
Also read: Why to Go For freedom-to-Operate Search?
Ways to research patents
Searching for a patent is a complicated and time-consuming task. It can be searched through various databases some of them are:
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and European Patent Office (EPO) provide search databases but they are not much compatible. Although, they provide a free database service but only simple keywords can be searched. Complicated keywords cannot be searched on these databases whereas most of the patents are written in a complicated legal language or non-text form.
- Google Patents also provide free databases and also a wider search base. You can read the full text of patents and find prior-art with a lot of patents provided at hand. It provides patent information from seven patent offices.
- There are various paid databases that provide more comprehensive search results. They provide more relevant results to the researcher. All the patents are covered under databases and it is a reliable source to conduct the patent research.
Also read: USPTO Office Action: Types and Ways to Response
Importance of Patent Research
The inventor needs to do the patent research in order to see how your invention is unique. Only the unique patent which is not obvious will be eligible to get a patent grant. Some of the important points for doing patent research are described below:
- Cost-saving: It saves the extra cost that may be spent on multiple submission of a patent application. It is always beneficial to check if a similar invention already exists or not. In long run, a lot of costs are saved by ensuring this beforehand.
- Knowledgeable: Researching in your field can also let you know about the inventions that you were not aware of. It can be knowledgeable for you to know about some of them and can get you to give a better view of your invention as well. An improved idea can help you improve your invention according to the need it shows you.
- Analyze the patent claim: Patent searchhelps thepatent attorney to analyze the claim the inventor can get. It is important to check the scope of the patent protection that the invention can get. The wider scope can help to increase the area of protection.
Also read: 7 Mistakes Start-Ups Make When Filing Patents
Patent Research by a professional or the inventor
There is simply no comparison when the professional conducts the patent research and when the inventor himself does so. A professional can research in a more detailed way. An elaborate search is very important so that no patent is left unseen at the end. Someone who has been working in the field for a long time can do the task with perfection.
If you want to conduct the search yourself then it is very important to do a deep study before going for the search. Anything which you may leave while searching can get you into trouble later on. So, it is very important to search without any mistake.
Also read: PCT Timeline: An Overview
Abstract
So, it is very important to go for a detailed search so that you don’t miss the opportunity of protecting your invention with a patent. Hiring a professional will not go wasted and it is a wise decision to hire one. You can contact Your Patent Team for getting the best services in hand. You can contact us any time and also go to our service page to know more about our services. Our experts are helping applicants secure the strongest and broadest IP protection worldwide. We have various clients who have been availing our services and are satisfied with the results. Avail yours now!
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