(191) DesignVision: A New Artificial Intelligence-Powered Image Search Tool
Summary
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) has
added DesignVision, a new artificial intelligence (AI)-based image search
tool, to the Patents End-to-End (PE2E) search suite, to enhance efficiency
and effectiveness of prior art searches. When an examiner conducts a search
using DesignVision, details regarding the query and output will be
communicated to the applicant and to the public via recordation in the
application's file wrapper search notes and search history summary report.
The USPTO has made this search tool available to design patent examiners
for conducting prior art searches during the design patent examination
process. The USPTO may make the search tool available to other examiners,
such as utility patent examiners, at a later time at its discretion.
Background
Patent examiners, including design patent examiners, use tools such as
PE2E Search to conduct prior art searches. The USPTO continues to work to
modernize examiners' search toolkits and has been proactive in notifying
the public of any new AI-based features in PE2E Search that are being made
available to examiners. Recently integrated AI search features include
"More Like This" and "Similarity Search." See "New PE2E Search Tool Using
AI Search Features," 1494 OG 251 (January 11, 2022); "New Artificial
Intelligence Functionality in PE2E Search," 1504 OG 359 (November 15,
2022).
DesignVision
DesignVision is an AI-based image search tool that was customized for
the USPTO to aid and enhance USPTO examiners' image search capabilities by
facilitating prior art searching using images as a query. This tool
provides centralized access and federated searching, which allows an
examiner to query multiple data sources simultaneously through a single
search interface, of design patents, registrations, trademarks, and
industrial designs from over 80 global registers, including the World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), European Union Intellectual
Property Office (EUIPO), and other foreign intellectual property offices.
The tool compares the query images uploaded by the examiner with available
databases and returns search results based on, and sortable by, image
similarity. Unique features of the tool include the ability to select up to
seven uploaded images as a search query, user-controlled weighting of
visual features, user-controlled focus on specific features of the searched
image, and text and classification filters. DesignVision augments, but does
not replace, design patent examiners' other available search tools.
To ensure data security and maintain patent application confidentiality
as required by 35 U.S.C. § 122(a), the USPTO has implemented National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) security controls and runs
search queries within this tool using a Federal Risk and Authorization
Management Program (FedRAMP)-authorized cloud service offering.
Search Recordation
To provide a complete, accurate, and uniform record of what the examiner
has searched and considered for each application, the USPTO has established
procedures for recording DesignVision search data in the application file.
These procedures are consistent with current search recordation practices
described in the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Rev. 01.2024
(November 2024), section 719.05.
When an examiner uses DesignVision as part of a search for a patent
application, the examiner's PE2E search history will clearly indicate that
this tool was used, so that the public receives adequate notice when at
 Top of Notices (191) December 30, 2025 |
US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE |
1541 CNOG 565 |
least a portion of the examiner's search was performed using AI tools.
To provide an accurate record of the search conducted, the Search Notes
section of the Search Notes form in the application file wrapper will
indicate which images of the application were used as a query.
Additionally, the search history summary report (also called search history
printout, see MPEP § 719.05) will indicate the number of images uploaded by
the examiner, any filters applied to the image query, and the search
results. In order to maintain confidentiality under 35 U.S.C. § 122,
particularly in situations where the examiner searches multiple
applications with one query, none of the actual images uploaded by the
examiner into the tool interface will be included in the search history
summary report. To further aid in examination efficiency, generation of the
search history summary report from this tool has been automated.
Contact Information
Inquiries and feedback concerning this notice may be submitted by email
to designvisionsearch@uspto.gov, or by mail addressed to: Commissioner for
Patents, Box Comments-Patents, Post Office Box 1450, Alexandria,
VA 22313-1450, and marked to the attention of Jonathan Horner.
July 16, 2025 COKE MORGAN STEWART
Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Acting Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
[1537 OG 303]