patentability searching
DESCRIPTION
This is from a presentation by Patrick Walsh delivered at the National Association of Patent PractitionersTRANSCRIPT
Patrick WalshProfessional Patent Searcher &
Software DeveloperCopyright © 2010 Simple Patents LLC
Patentability Research
Patentability Research
•Understand features of the various resources available.•Learn to do a basic patent search.•Learn to QC an incoming search.
Popular Patent Search Resources
Patent Cafe PatBase
Search Resources
Free Patent Search Engines
Private Resources Government Agencies
Search Resources
EAST
What to Look For
Search Resources
Cost/Year
Searchable Text
Set up for Classification Searching
Scope Natural Language
Rapid Flipping
Save Projects
PDF’s
USPTO Free 1971- Present
X US
FPOL Free 1971- Present
X US,EP,JP,WIPO X X
Google Patents Free 1700’s- Present
US X
EAST Free* 1700’s- Present
X US,EP,JP,WIPO X
Delphion ~1700 1971- Present
X X X
PSV (Simple Patents)
** 1971- Present
X US X X X
PantrosIP ~3000 1971- Present
US,EP,JP,WIPO X X X
Search Resources
Blind Spots of All Search Engines
•Over-reliance on keywords •researching patents is never going to be as easy as googling.
•Most Search engines do not match EAST for rapid viewing, which is key to Mechanical searching•Most engines do not have a good classification assistance tools. Classification is the key.
Search Resources
1. Don’t be scared by the size of the databases
2. Classification is your friend (esp. U.S. classification, where you have only a few hundred references in each.)
3. A combined strategy of classified, keyword, and citation searching works.
How should I be searching?
Overview of Search Process1. Set your preliminaries2. Broad search
• Develop your keywords and synonyms. • Create a B-List, or ‘maybe’ list• Citation search as needed• Review and record classifications on the maybe list.
3. Locate Classification of the highest occurrence4. Search the best subclasses thoroughly (completely if
possible)5. Review and repeat as necessary6. Create an A-List of best references7. Forward & Backward Citation search the A-List references.8. Verify that no new relevant classifications have turned up.
Search Preliminaries
Hypothetical Invention
StopSmoke
Features1. Package2. Hinged Closure3. Lock4. Timer5. Programmable
Search Preliminaries
Create a Feature ListTitle StopSmoke
KeywordsMAKE
1. package, box, container, receptacle, pack, carton
2. closure, lid, top, cap3. lock, clasp, bolt, catch4. time, timer, timing5. program, control
USE6. smoke, tobacco, nicotine, cigar7. cease, cessation, stop, quit
Search Preliminaries
Create a Keyword ListFeatures1. Package2. Hinged Closure3. Lock4. Timer5. Programmable
Classic Delphion-ese(smok* or tobacco or nicotine or cigar*) and
(package or box or container or receptacle or pack or carton) and (time* or timer or timing) and (cease or cessation or stop or quit) and (lock or clasp or bolt or catch)
5,000 references!
Broad Searching
Broad Searching
Smoking TIMER
Initial Query
FPOL Search Query
Title Field: smoking AND timer
Search Results
Broad Searching
Initial Search Results – The B-List
Broad Searching
Early promising references may not be perfect, but they will guide you to closer references through classification.
When you’re building your B-List, you should be pay attention to classification.
131/270 TOBACCO/ANTISMOKING PRODUCT OR DEVICE; I.E.; DETERENT.
131/242 TOBACCO/TOBACCO USERS' APPLIANCE/With ash receiver/Cigar; cigarette; or smoking device rest or holder/With closure or covered compartment.
206/236 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/COMBINED OR CONVERTIBLE/For pocket or personal use/With tobacco product.
206/242 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/FOR TOBACCO; PIPE OR CIGARETTE HOLDER.
206/265 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/FOR TOBACCO; PIPE OR CIGARETTE HOLDER/With closure.
206/268 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/FOR TOBACCO; PIPE OR CIGARETTE HOLDER/With closure/Integral hinge.
206/276 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/FOR TOBACCO; PIPE OR CIGARETTE HOLDER/End cover for cigar or cigarette.
Classification Up Close
Classification
Old references have little or no searchable text
Classification
221/83 ARTICLE DISPENSING/CELLULAR MAGAZINE TYPE/Conveyer type/With gravity discharge from cells/With outlet closure operator and interrelated magazine advancing or locking means.
221/121 ARTICLE DISPENSING/PLURAL SOURCES; STACKS OR COMPARTMENTS/Rotatably mounted or endless belt carried source assembly/Relative to common outlet.
221/15 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH TIMING OR DELAY MECHANISM.
221/258 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH DISCHARGE ASSISTANT/Motor-operated.
221/282 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH CASING OR SUPPORT.
221/9 ARTICLE DISPENSING/AUTOMATIC CONTROL.
70/273 LOCKS/OPERATING MECHANISM/Predetermined time interval controlled/Clockwork control/Continuously operating once initiated.
131/270 TOBACCO/ANTISMOKING PRODUCT OR DEVICE; I.E.; DETERENT.
206/236 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/COMBINED OR CONVERTIBLE/For pocket or personal use/With tobacco product.
206/86 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/WITH IGNITER FOR TOBACCO CONTENT/Combined.
968/812 HOROLOGY/Mechanically actuated (cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F 15/00B) [G04F 3/02C].
70/273 LOCKS/OPERATING MECHANISM/Predetermined time interval controlled/Clockwork control/Continuously operating once initiated.
But they do have classifications.
Classification
Classification
Newer references have too much text
368/109 HOROLOGY: TIME MEASURING SYSTEMS OR DEVICES/TIME INTERVAL/Electrical or electromechanical/For predetermined interval/Including alarm means.
131/270 TOBACCO/ANTISMOKING PRODUCT OR DEVICE; I.E.; DETERENT.
368/10 HOROLOGY: TIME MEASURING SYSTEMS OR DEVICES/COMBINED WITH DISPARATE DEVICE.
368/223 HOROLOGY: TIME MEASURING SYSTEMS OR DEVICES/DISPLAYS OR DISPLAY DEVICE DETAILS.
368/278 HOROLOGY: TIME MEASURING SYSTEMS OR DEVICES/CASES/Combined with disparate device.
368/10 HOROLOGY: TIME MEASURING SYSTEMS OR DEVICES/COMBINED WITH DISPARATE DEVICE.
131/270 TOBACCO/ANTISMOKING PRODUCT OR DEVICE; I.E.; DETERENT.
206/249 SPECIAL RECEPTACLE OR PACKAGE/FOR TOBACCO; PIPE OR CIGARETTE HOLDER/With ejector.
221/15 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH TIMING OR DELAY MECHANISM.
221/2 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH RECORDER; REGISTER; INDICATOR; SIGNAL OR EXHIBITOR.
221/255 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH DISCHARGE ASSISTANT/Article retained by discharge assistant for manual removal.
221/88 ARTICLE DISPENSING/CELLULAR MAGAZINE TYPE/With non-gravity means to remove articles from cells/Single ejecting means for all cells.
221/15 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH TIMING OR DELAY MECHANISM..
Classification
Classification gives them organization
So what should I be doing with all these classes?
1. Record your classes2. Verify that your features are represented
in the classification3. Isolate the high occurrences 4. Search the most promising subclasses
thoroughly, or completely5. Text search the second-tier classes
Classification
• 131/270• 221/15• 70/273• 968/812• 206/256• 206/236• 131/242• 221/258• 206/265
Classification
Classes Discovered
Classes Discovered• 131/270 tobacco/antismoking product or device; i.e.; deterant• 221/15 article dispensing/with timing or delay mechanism• 70/273 locks/operating mechanism/predetermined time interval
controlled/clockwork control/continuously operating once initiated• 968/812 horology/mechanically actuated(cigar or cigarette
receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking
• 206/256 special receptacle or package/for tobacco; pipe or cigarette holder/with segregating means
• 206/236 special receptacle or package/combined or convertible/for pocket or personal use/with tobacco product
• sers appliance/with ash receiver/cigar; cigarette; or smoking device rest or holder/with closure or covered compartment
• 221/258 article dispensing/with discharge assistant/motor-operated• 206/265 special receptacle or package/for tobacco; pipe or cigarette
holder/with closure
4 Occurrences
4 Occurrences
2 Occurrences
2 Occurrences
1 Occurrence (but
interesting)
Classification
Class Counting
Search the best subclasses thoroughly (or completely, if possible)
Narrowed Searching
131/270 TOBACCO/ ANTISMOKING PRODUCT OR DEVICE, I.E., DETERRENT
209 References
221/15 ARTICLE DISPENSING/WITH TIMING OR DELAY MECHANISM
285 References
Class-Keyword Combination
131/270 TOBACCO/
ANTISMOKING PRODUCT OR DEVICE, I.E., DETERRENT
Keyword “time or timer or
timing”
221/15 ARTICLE DISPENSING/
WITH TIMING OR DELAY
MECHANISM
Keyword “Tobacco or Smoking or
Cigar or Cigarette”
Narrowed Searching
Summary of Steps:
1. Use key word searching to make initial B-List2. Track classification name & quantity3. Search inside main classifications with text.4. Continue to build the B-List and keep track of those
classifications5. Text or Fully search inside the best class/subclasses.6. Develop A-List, and check forward and backward
citations of A-list references7. Repeat as necessary, and keep adding classifications.
QC’ing a search
QC
Citation Searching Forward & backward citation searching on all the results to see if anything better turns up. Classification Dominance:•If the search was well focused on the features of the invention, then this should be apparent in the cumulative classification count in the references returned. You should see classifications reading on features showing up more often than others.•If the searcher has indicated his or her search strategy, and if a dominant classification does not appear on the list, you may consider asking the searcher to take a look there.
