Take a look at these helpful materials from the USPTO:
Video Tutorial Overview & Basic Steps
- How to Conduct a Preliminary U.S. Patent Search: A Step by Step Strategy (36 minutes)
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/ptdl/CBT/ - How to conduct patent searches using the Seven Step Strategy
http://www.uspto.gov/products/library/ptdl/services/step7.jsp
Keep in Mind:
- Keyword searching will not provide the full picture! Patent language is not intuitive for the layperson. For example, a bicycle is classified as an "Occupant Propelled Land Vehicle".
- A complete patentability search must consider all prior art, including earlier patents, foreign patents and non-patent literature.
While most searches can make use of the USPTO Web Patent Databases through general Internet access, NCSU Libraries additionally provides on-site access to Cassis and PubWEST:
USPTO Web Patent Databases
- Full text of all US patents issued since January 1, 1976, and full-page images of each page of every US patent issued since 1790
- Updated weekly
- Offers several basic and advanced search options.
PubWEST Database
- Keywoard search available from 1920
- Updated weekly
- Allows bulk download of select patent data as .csv file
- Requires staff login
