ELECTRICITY: CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS

Classification 174/250.000 - 268.000 >> 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.

This resource can be used for class/subclass, text, inventor, and assignee searching. Queries may include classification parameters combined with other terms. This resource frequently provides highly relevant information from US patents.

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.

This resource can be used for class/subclass, text, inventor, and assignee searching. Queries may include classification parameters combined with other terms. This resource may provide relevant information from older US patents when it is appropriate to search pre-1971 art using search terms other than classification.

PGPUBS

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

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

U.S. published applications.

This resource can be used for class/subclass, text, inventor, and assignee searching. Queries may include classification parameters combined with other terms. This resource frequently provides highly relevant information from published US applications.

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.

DWPI can be used for text, IPC, Derwent Manual Code, and assignee/inventor searching. Queries may include classification parameters combined with other terms to be searched. This resource provides relevant information on US and foreign patents and published applications.

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.

This database can be used for text, IPC, ECLA, and assignee/inventor searching. Queries may include classification parameters combined with other terms to be searched. This resource provides relevant information on foreign patents and published applications.

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.

This database can be used for text, IPC, and assignee/inventor searching. Queries may include classification parameters combined with other terms to be searched. This resource provides relevant information on JP published unexamined applications.

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.

ASTM International

ASTM International Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Voluntary standards development organization.

This resource may provide information on industry standards involving this art.

CAplus

STN Coverage: 1907 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Chemistry bibliographic database.

This resource can be used for text, inventor/assignee, IPC, USPC, JP FTERM, CAS Registry Number searching, and, in conjunction with the CAS Registry file, for chemical structure searching. This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

CHEMnetBASE

Chapman & Hall/CRC Press LLC Coverage: - , Full Text: Dates - vary

Collection of CRC databases and handbooks.

Electronic collection of chemical dictionaries and the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. This resource may provide information on topics and materials involving this art.

Company Catalogs

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

Product catalogs.

Product catalogs from companies such as Lowes and Home Depot can be used for product pictures and descriptions, and may provide information on equipment and products involving this 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.

Includes Solid State and Superconductivity Abstracts, Metadex, and Electronics and Communications Abstracts. This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

Ei Compendex

Dialog Coverage: 1970 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Questel Orbit Coverage: 1970 - present, Full Text: - N/A

STN Coverage: 1970 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Comprehensive database of engineering literature.

This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

Electric Power Database

Dialog Coverage: 1972 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Electric Power Research Instutute (EPRI) database summarizes U.S. and Canadian research reports on 13 major categories related to electric power.

Corresponds to the printed work Digest of Research in the Electric Utility Industry. This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin

EAST/WEST Coverage: 1958 - 1998, Full Text: -

Defensive disclosure database.

This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

IEEE Xplore

IEEE Coverage: 1952 - present, Full Text: 1988 - present

Full text access to technical literature in electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics.

This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

Inspec (The Database for Physics, Electronics and Computing)

Dialog Coverage: 1898 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Dialog DataStar Coverage: 1969 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Questel Orbit Coverage: 1969 - present, Full Text: - N/A

STN Coverage: 1969 - present, Full Text: - N/A

Inspec (The Database for Physics, Electronics and Computing) corresponds to the three Science Abstracts print publications: Physics Abstracts, Electrical and Electronics Abstracts, and Computer and Control Abstracts.

This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

IP.com

IP.com Coverage: 1958 - present, Full Text: 1958 - present

Defensive disclosures of inventions.

This resource may provide information on literature involving this art.

Knovel

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

Science and engineering books and databases.

Electronic handbook collection includes Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary. Used to identify industry practices and also properties of materials. This resource may provide information on topics and materials involving this art.

Thomas Register

Thomas Publishing Company Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Database of equipment available from multiple manufacturers and suppliers, and links to supplier catalogs.

This resource may provide information on equipment and products involving this art. It can be used for product pictures and descriptions.

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 provide information on broad topics, specific companies, devices, individuals, products, materials, and properties.

Scirus

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

Science-specific search engine.

This resource may provide information on broad topics, specific companies, devices, individuals, products, materials, and properties.

Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. Coverage: - N/A, Full Text: - N/A

Internet search engine.

This resource may provide information on broad topics, specific companies, devices, individuals, products, materials, and properties.

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.