LOCKS
U. S. PATENT RESOURCES
As general guidance, a complete search of U. S. patents in this art area will include the following:
- 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
- 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.
Classified searching is most important. Text searching may be useful when a material is claimed. Viewing the drawings is paramount. Backward and forward citation searching has proven to be 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.
Classified searching is most important. Text searching may be useful when a material is claimed. Viewing the drawings is paramount.
PGPUBS
- EAST Coverage: 2001 - present, Full Text: 2001 - present
- WEST Coverage: 2001 - present, Full Text: 2001 - present
U.S. published applications.
Classified searching is most important. Text searching may be useful when a material is claimed. Viewing the drawings is paramount.
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.
Older foreign art is useful for this class.
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.
Older foreign art is useful for this class.
EPO esp@cenet
- esp@cenet Coverage: 1920 - present, Full Text: 1920 - present
National patent information from all member states of the EPO as well as bibliographic data from patents worldwide.
FPAS3
- Coverage: - , Full Text: -
USPTO foreign document retrieval system.
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.
Older foreign art is useful for this class.
JPO Industrial Property Digital Library
- NCIPI Coverage: 1976 - present, Full Text: 1976 - present
Japanese patent information.
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.
CSA Technology Research Database (TRD)
- Dialog Coverage: 1963 - present, Full Text: - N/A
Megafile of the technical bibliographic databases provided by Cambridge Scientific Abstracts.
Subjects covered include materials science, engineering, aerospace, and high technology. Includes journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, books and standards.
Dialog Global Reporter
- Dialog Coverage: 1997 - present, Full Text: 1997 - present
Global news source.
Covers international newspapers, business magazines, and newswires.
Gale Group Trade & Industry DatabaseTM
- Dialog Coverage: 1976 - present, Full Text: 1976 - present
Coverage of international company, industry, product and market information.
Knovel
- Knovel Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: Dates - vary
Science and engineering books and databases.
Full text engineering and scientific reference books with interactive tables and graphs. Titles include Mark's Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers.
ProQuest Direct
- ProQuest Coverage: Dates - vary, Full Text: 1986 - present
Current periodicals and newspapers, as well as archives of major newspapers.
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.
No resources identified
- Coverage: - , Full Text: -
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.
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