So you have that great idea or invention, now what? Well, in many cases you want to see if your invention is 1) unique and 2) protectable. One of the first steps you need to do as an inventor is conduct a patent search. If you don't want to pay someone thousands of dollars, you can always do the search, or at least an initial version, yourself.
Based on a presentation given by a patent depository librarian, we've put together 7 simple steps to conduct your own patent search.
-
Create a list of search terms that may describe your invention. Consider function, use, structure, and effect.
-
Browse the patent classification categories using your search terms
-
Determine the classifications that might fit your product. You can use the Manual of Classification to help you.
-
Research Classes and Subclasses of patents to understand where your product will best fit. It may be able to fit into more than one class.
-
Put together a list of patents that might be similar to your invention.
-
Review the individual patents to ensure non-infringement.
-
Search the references listed in each of the patents, both forward and backward to ensure non-infringement.
Voila, those are the basic 7 steps to conducting your own patent search. It may take you many hours, but you'll potentially be saving thousands of dollars.