This document provides information about the importance of conducting a patent search before pursuing invention or research. It outlines several public and commercial databases that can be used to conduct a patent search, including free databases from the USPTO, EPO, WIPO, Google Patents, and JPO. The goals of the workshop are to understand the current state of an invention field, aid in drafting patent claims and specifications, and determine the chances of acquiring a patent. Tips are provided for effective keyword searching and navigating the hierarchical structure of the International Patent Classification system.

1. Eng’r. Eric C. Paden
Intellectual Property Rights Specialist IV, BOP
Area Manager, IPFOU Visayas
BASIC PATENT
SEARCH

2. IMPORTANCE OF PATENT SEARCH
 To save money in lengthy patent application processes in case
the invention is not new.
 Improved quality of patent application, specifically the claims.
 Prevention of court litigation (infringement) in case other patents
are violated as part of the invention.
 Investors require search reports in order to move forward and
apply for patents on any invention/business intelligence.
 Patent documents – can freely support research and
development activities since it contains information not yet
divulged in any other form of literature.

3. PATENT AS FIRST PUBLICATION
INVENTIONS
Publication in
other forms of
documentation
Patent Published
1928
PUNCH CARD 1914 1889
TELEVISION 1923
JET ENGINE 1946 1936
CAST IRON 1947 1939
Conducting a patent search before research and development
will surely save us from re-inventing the wheel
GATORADE 1984 1971

4. DURING THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY

5. NOW IN 21ST CENTURY

6. PATENT SEARCH DATABASES
 Public Sector Databases - those provided by
national and regional patent offices for free
 Free-of-charge commercial databases
 Fee-based commercial databases

7. GOAL OF THIS WORKSHOP
 To know the state of the art in field of invention and
warrant filing for a patent
 To lay out the objectives of the invention in relation
to the prior art documents and serves as an aid in
drafting claims and specification
 To determine the chance of acquiring a patent by
assessing novelty and inventiveness of your
invention.

8. TIPS IN DOING PATENT SEARCH
CHOOSE THE RIGHT KEYWORD/S (TECHNICAL
TERMS) IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT THE CLOSEST
PRIOR ARTS
Note: Keyword/s may not be enough to arrive to a
closest prior art. Keyword plus International Patent
Classification (IPC) is recommended
CHOOSE UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED KEYWORD/S
TO TYPE
CHECK THE SPELLING OF THE KEYWORD/S
BEING USED

9. HOW TO SEARCH FOR PATENTS

10. HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF
IPC
SECTIONS
A Human Necessities
B Performing Operations, Transporting, etc.
C Chemistry
D Textile; Paper
G Physics
H Electricity
E Fixed Construction
F Mechanical Engineering; Lighting;
Heating; Weapons; Blasting
Y (CPC) General Tagging of new technological developments; General
Tagging of cross-sectional Technologies Spanning Over several sections of
the IPC; Technical Subjects Covered by former USPC Cross-Reference art
collections [XRACs] and Digest

11. COMPLETE CLASSIFICATION
SYMBOL
B 64 C 25 / 00 MAIN
GROUP
25 / 30 SUBGROUP
SECTION
CLASS
SUBCLASS
GROUP
http://www.wipo.int/classifications/ipc/ipc8/?lang=en

12. RECOMMENDED FREE DATABASES
 United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
http://patft.uspto.gov
 European Patent Office (EPO) – 100 Million documents around
the world http://www.espacenet.com/access
 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
http://www.wipo.int/patentscope/search/en
 Google Patents - 18 patent offices + WIPO publications
https://patents.google.com
https://www.google.com/advanced_patent_search
 Japan Patent Office (JPO) – J-PlatPat
https://www.jplatpat.inpit.go.jp/web/all/top/BTmTopEnglishPage
 Local search http://ipophil.gov.ph (official website IPOPhil), then go
to services, E- services, Patent Search

13. IPO WEBSITE
www.ipophil.gov.ph

14. SEARCH THE PATENT

15. www.ipophil.gov.ph
Address:
IPCenter # 28 Upper Mckinley Road,
Mckinley Hill Town Center, Fort
Bonifacio, Taguig City
THANK YOU