How to Research Invention Patents

How to Research Invention Patents thumbnail
Pharmaceutical patents are filed as utility patents

Patents protect inventions and stimulate industry by offering inventors a limited monopoly on the use and sale of their invention. In the United States, there are three types of patents: industrial design patents, plant patents and utility patents. Most inventions fall into the utility patent category.

Instructions

  1. Databases

    • 1

      Go to the Patent Office's searchable database. The Patent Office has a free searchable database of all patents ever issued, with full text and images for all patents issued after 1975.

    • 2

      Search using keywords, patent numbers, inventors' name(s), title or issue date.

    • 3

      Double-check your search findings by looking up and corroborating information on PatentFizz or Google Patents. PatentFizz often has relevant court case information, which the Patent Office does not track.

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References

Resources

  • Photo Credit Jochen Sand/Digital Vision/Getty Images

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