CARD, PICTURE, OR SIGN EXHIBITING

Classification 40/all - subclasses >> view this class definition

U. S. PATENT RESOURCES

As general guidance, a complete search of U. S. patents in this art area will include the following:

1. A classified search of the original classification class and subclass for the subject matter and the other highly relevant art areas in the US patent documents
2. A text search of the US patent documents; patents, PG PUB, and OCR databases:
• Broad text search for the general inventive concept(s), not limited by classification
• Narrow text search for the specific claimed invention
• Boolean text search employing the relevant inventive terms

The resources listed below are internal USPTO search tools. However, the information that they cover is available either commercially, on the USPTO web site, or in the Public Search Facility on the USPTO Headquarters campus and the Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries.

EAST/WEST

EAST Coverage: 1971 - present, Full Text: 1971 - present

WEST Coverage: 1971 - present, Full Text: 1971 - present

Full text patent and inventor searching.

Classification search is followed by a text search. Drawings are critical. Forward and backwards citation searching is useful for this class.

BRS Search/USOCR Database

EAST Coverage: 1920 - 1970, Full Text: 1920 - 1970

WEST Coverage: 1920 - 1970, Full Text: 1920 - 1970

Full text of U.S. patent grants.

Classification search is followed by a text search. Drawings are critical.

PGPUBS

EAST Coverage: 2001 - present, Full Text: 2001 - present

WEST Coverage: 2001 - present, Full Text: 2001 - present

U.S. published applications.

Classification search is followed by a text search. Drawings are critical.

FOREIGN PATENT RESOURCES

Searched separately from the U.S. Patent Search. These databases consist of abstract documents. Text searching abstracts requires the use of different search logic e.g. the use of broad Boolean and/or operators instead of narrow proximity operators.

Derwent World Patents Index and the contents of the EPO Abstracts and JPO Abstracts are available commercially.

Derwent World Patents Index, Classification and Text Search

EAST Coverage: 1963 - present, Full Text: - N/A

WEST Coverage: 1963 - present, Full Text: - N/A

English abstracts database of patent documents from more than 40 patent-issuing authorities.

Used for text searching.

EPO Abstracts, Text and Classification Search

EAST Coverage: 1978 - present, Full Text: - N/A

WEST Coverage: 1978 - present, Full Text: - N/A

English abstracts database of patents and published applications from EPO, WO/PCT, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Switzerland. USPC searching is limited to documents added to the database from 1978 to September 30, 1995.

Used for text searching.

JPO Abstracts, Text and Classification Search

EAST Coverage: 1976 - present, Full Text: - N/A

WEST Coverage: 1976 - present, Full Text: - N/A

English abstracts database of Japanese published unexamined applications. USPC searching is limited to documents added to the database from 1978 to September 30, 1995.

Used for text searching.

NON-PATENT LITERATURE RESOURCES

The resources listed are those that USPTO staff have found consistently yield the most relevant search results. Commercial databases available through a single vendor can generally be searched simultaneously, although it is preferable to search full text and bibliographic databases in separate groupings. In addition to the use of subscription databases and public Internet sites, it is recommended that books, manuals, standards and specifications be considered in the search for prior art.

ABI/INFORM

Dialog Coverage: 1971 - present, Full Text: 1991 - present

STN Coverage: 1971 - present, Full Text: 1991 - present

Covers worldwide business and management issues.

Includes details on virtually every aspect of business, including company histories and competitive intelligence, and new product development. Some records include pictures.

Company Catalogs

STIC online catalog Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: Dates - vary

Product catalogs.

Used to obtain information on stationery, office supplies, promotional materials, and retail displays.

Dialog Global Reporter

Dialog Coverage: 1997 - present, Full Text: 1997 - present

Global news source.

Covers newspapers, business magazines, and newswires from all regions of the world, including emerging markets. English-language abstracts are provided for non-English-language sources.

EBSCOhost Research Databases

EBSCO Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: Dates - vary

Multidisciplinary collection of databases.

Gale Group GlobalbaseTM

Dialog Coverage: 1986 - 2002, Full Text: - N/A

Worldwide coverage of companies, products, and industries with a primary focus on Europe.

Gale Group Marketing & Advertising Reference Service

Dialog Coverage: 1984 - present, Full Text: 1984 - present

Multi-industry advertising and marketing database with abstracts and full text records on a wide variety of consumer products and services.

Gale Group New Product Announcements/Plus (NPA/Plus)

Dialog Coverage: 1985 - present, Full Text: 1985 - present

Full text press releases from all industries covering announcements related to products, with a focus on new products and services.

JSTOR Journals

JSTOR Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: Dates - vary

Business collection brings together core titles in economics and finance, including many publications from the leading scholarly societies.

ProQuest Direct

ProQuest Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: 1986 - present

Current periodicals and newspapers, as well as archives of major newspapers.

Signs of the Times

ST Publications Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Source of sign-industry news, technical information and in-depth analysis.

Used to obtain information on stationery, office supplies, promotional materials, retail displays.

INTERNET SEARCH TOOLS

An Internet search should be considered when a search of the resources listed above fails to locate relevant prior art. A preliminary Internet search may be performed to obtain an overview of the technology, and to identify additional search terms and related product information.

Google TM

Google Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Internet search engine.

This resource may be useful in identifying manufacturers and for finding homemade crafts.

Internet Archive

Internet Archive Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Provides permanent access to historical collections that exist in digital format.

Wayback Machine used to date web pages and identify companies that were using something similar to the invention years ago.

Public Comments on the Search Templates

Public comments on the search templates are invited. Comments should address the points enumerated in the Criteria for Evaluating Recommended Search Resources. Comments can be submitted via the Search Template Project e-mail link on each template page or by mail addressed to:

Mail Stop Patents Search Template Comments
Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
Electronic submission is preferred. The Office will respond to comments in writing.