Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 5 of a series): Searching Patents

Patents: Emerging Tech
Patents are a rich source of cutting-edge research. And much of the research reported in patents never appears in peer reviewed journals. So, to identify emerging technology in your field, consider searching the patent literature on a regular basis.

Now, while searching for relevant patents can be challenging, reading them can be even more so.

Accordingly, I have divided this topic into several posts.

The first offers tips on how to use keywords for effective searching.
The second suggests ways to read the results of your patent research in the most time efficient manner possible.
Finally, I offer a case study to illustrate the process of searching for and reading patents in a particular area.

TIP: Read Tips for reading patents: a concise introduction for scientists for an excellent overview on this topic.

So, step one … How to search
Conceptually, this is quite easy. In practice, it is quite difficult.

I could describe, in my own words, what you should do to make your search as effective as possible.  However, as it happens, someone else’s words are even better …

///////
Basics of Patent Searching
WIPO Patent Drafting Course for Patent Agents from the ARIPO Member States and Observer States
Bastiaan Koster
Von Seidels, Intellectual Property Attorneys

You must understand the invention before you start to search. If you do not fully understand the invention, you may think non-relevant results to be relevant
Patentability of an invention is determined with reference to the claims
Interpret the claims in light of the specification

Searching is not easy
The correct result is very seldom, if ever, immediately found
Many iterations may be required to obtain a suitable result
Searching is an art that is learned over time

How to search:
Search for defining concepts of the core of the invention
Identify the essential features of the invention
Think of different embodiments of the invention, other than those described therein
Keyword searches: Words used to describe the invention
Example: “Solar water heater”
Alter, change or add keywords if relevant results are not found:
“Solar geyser”
“Solar energy hot water heater”
“Solar energy geyser”
Take note of words that are used differently in different countries, particularly the US and Europe (bonnet v hood, sidewalk v pavement, etc.)
Take note of synonyms that may be used: “mobile device”; “cell phone”; “mobile phone”; “communication device”; etc.

Use wildcards
Beware of searching for specific forms of a word: “Generate”; “generating” and “generated” may all provide different results
“generat*” will locate all of the above terms if the “*” character is applicable on the search platform
Make sure you are aware of the wildcard characters of your search platform

Search in specific categories –This may eliminate substantially irrelevant results
Very useful if a very large amount of results must be filtered
Can classify the invention yourself, or can look at a relevant specification to determine the classification allocated thereto
When a relevant prior art document has been identified, look at the prior art documents that was cited against it during its prosecution, and at patent applications against which it was cited:
This may provide a significant number of prior art documents that may be equally or more relevant

Where to search:
National or international databases
Free access typically provided, as patents and patent applications are public information

Google Patents – https://patents.google.com/
A good place to start a search
Intelligent search algorithms provide relevant results
It typically takes 2 to 3 months for published patent applications to appear, so some Prior Art may not be available
Originally only included US prior art, but other databases has been added to some extent
Does not cover as many jurisdictions as othersLimited field combination possibilities
Provides links to other major search platforms

Espacenet- https://worldwide.espacenet.com/  
Database of published patents and patent application managed by the European Patent Office
Search algorithm not as intelligent
Includes Prior Art from most jurisdictions
“Advanced” and “Simple” search options
Claims to provide access to over 90 million Prior Art documents
Many foreign language Prior Art documents with machine-translated information

WIPO-World Intellectual Property Organization - https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/search.jsf
Database managed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation
Includes Prior Art from most jurisdictions
“Advanced” and “Simple” search options
Claims to provide access to over 49 million Prior Art documents

USPTO - http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html
Database managed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Only covers US patents and patent applications
Initially relatively complex to use, especially advanced searches

While searching:
Keep track of your search strategy
Store your strategy for later reference if further searching is necessary
Report your search strategy to client as part of your results if applicable
If they can pick up a missed search term or keyword from your strategy, they can instruct you to perform further searches
As many searches may not yield the required results, it may help your client to understand the time spent on the search

Free full text source: https://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/africa/en/wipo_pat_hre_15/wipo_pat_hre_15_t_7.pdf
///////

Starting Down the Startup Path: TOC – Table of Contents
If you enjoyed this post, you might like some of the others in this series. Here is a convenient way to find them.
///////
Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 1 of a series)
How do you find emerging technology? One way is to focus on startups.
OK, fine, but how do you discover the startups that offer a technology of interest to you? One way is to focus on venture capital firms that focus on the areas of interest to you.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2019/12/starting-down-startup-path-part-1-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 2 of a series)
Anyone involved in venture capital or its variants is interested in identifying potential candidates for investment opportunity. Finding these candidates is not easy. But a place to start on startups is to see what companies other venture capital firms have identified.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2019/12/starting-down-startup-path-part-2-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 3 of a series)
Panning for Google® gold: startups with promising new technologies
The previous post in this series featured the List of Top Oil and Gas Private Equity Firms discovered as the result of a Google® search. The list focuses on companies pursuing acquisition and development of existing resources. While the list will be useful to many, this series of posts focuses on techniques you can use to identify startups with promising new technologies.
So, on to the next step in the quest to find new technology on the cusp of successful deployment.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/01/starting-down-startup-path-part-3-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 4 of a series)
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained: Follow the Lead of the Oil Majors
How do you identify startups that fit your corporate goals? One way is to set up and advertise a venture capital unit, which enables young companies to pitch their technology to your corporation.
And that is just what several oil majors have done.
Studying their portfolios can provide a wealth of helpful information, whether you are a venture capitalist, a startup, or simply interested in identifying emerging technology.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/01/starting-down-startup-path-part-4-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 5 of a series): Searching Patents
Patents: Emerging Tech
Patents are a rich source of cutting-edge research. And much of the research reported in patents never appears in peer reviewed journals. So, to identify emerging technology in your field, consider searching the patent literature on a regular basis.
TIP: Read Tips for reading patents: a concise introduction for scientists for an excellent overview on this topic.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/02/start-up-startdown-path-parti-5-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 6 of a series): Reviewing Patents
Searching for patents is iterative. You type in some keywords. Results reveal more keywords. You type in those keywords. And repeat.
This can be really tedious, irksome even. Sometimes it is hard to figure out whether a given patent is even relevant to your needs.
Fortunately, a number of experts have offered tips to make it easier to read a patent quickly.
TIP: Google® how to read a patent for more tips on efficient ways to review a patent
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/03/starting-down-startup-path-part-6-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 7 of a series): Patents and Run On Sentences
Per USPO rules, the Claims in a patent must be stated in a single sentence. In many cases, the “single sentence” can be, thanks to colons, commas, semicolons, et al., several hundred words long.
But remember that, as difficult as it may be to wrap your head around any given claim, it still is faster than reading the whole patent.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/03/starting-down-startup-path-part-7-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 8 of a series): Mining Patents for Keywords
Mining patents for useful information can be tedious. One thing you can do is to look for keywords to use in Google® searches. For example, in a previous post I listed a Breakthrough Technologies LLC patent with the following claim …
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/03/starting-down-startup-path-part-8-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 9 of a series): PTQ Catalysis 2020
PTQ Catalysis 2020 is ready to view at www.eptq.com. As always, it is rich in useful information. In the context of our Startdown the Startup Path series of posts, one article in particular caught my eye …
Pilot plant studies of hydrotreating catalysts
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/03/starting-down-startup-path-part-9-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 10 of a series): The Bigness of Machine Learning
Big data is a big deal. We humans generate so much data that our puny brains are unable to process it. So we have created machines to do that for us.
There is a whole discipline called machine learning designed to train these machines to process massive amounts of data in useful ways.
“Machine learning,” as Serdar Yegulalp notes in an InfoWorld article, “is a complex discipline. But implementing machine learning models is far less daunting and difficult than it used to be, thanks to machine learning frameworks—such as Google’s TensorFlow—that ease the process of acquiring data, training models, serving predictions, and refining future results.”
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/03/starting-down-startup-path-part-10-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 11 of a series): Thread the Needle
In a horse race, the goal is to bet on the winning horse. Common sense tells us that if we knew for a certainty which horse would win the race, racing them would be pointless. The same logic applies to new technologies, and the companies that create them.
That’s why it can be useful to look at companies that have been examined by investment funds like the Columbia Seligman Communications and Information Fund.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/04/starting-down-startup-path-part-11-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 12 of a series): Patent Prior Art Search
Prior Art Search: Everything you need to know
If you’re looking to understand everything about prior art search, you’ve landed on the right page. By the time you finish reading this guide, you’ll likely have built a solid understanding of what can be included in the prior art, how you can use this knowledge to conduct a patent search all by yourself and avoid spending valuable resources on the non-patentable subject matter.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/04/starting-down-startup-path-part-12-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 13 of a series) Dibenzothiophene Patents 2020
What’s the quickest way to determine if a patent is of interest to you? Depends on your purpose. This tip sheet may help you decide which section of a patent to focus on.
Read full post at:
https://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/05/starting-down-startup-path-part-13-of.html

Starting Down the Startup Path (Part 14 of a series)-Google Patents Find Prior Art Link
Patent research is important in any area of research you are engaged in ... especially if you are a startup, or are considering investing in a startup.
Prior art is an important concept in patent research.
In this regard, Google® Patents Prior Art Link is useful. When you find a patent of interest, in the upper right of the screen you will find a link labeled Prior Art.
Read full post at:
http://desulf.blogspot.com/2020/05/starting-down-startup-path-part-14-of.html

///////

Google® Better!
Jean Steinhardt served as Librarian, Aramco Services, Engineering Division, for 13 years. He now heads Jean Steinhardt Consulting LLC, producing the same high quality research that he performed for Aramco.

Follow Jean’s blog at: http://desulf.blogspot.com/  for continuing tips on effective online research
Email Jean at research@jeansteinhardtconsulting.com  with questions on research, training, or anything else
Visit Jean’s Web site at http://www.jeansteinhardtconsulting.com/  to see examples of the services we can provide