This document discusses strategies and databases for searching patents. It begins by outlining the main purposes of patent searching, including assessing prior art, patent validity, and freedom to operate. It then describes different types of patent searches and searching methods, including using keywords, classification codes, and semantic or chemical structure searches. The document provides details on major free databases like Espacenet, Patentscope, and The Lens, as well as paid databases. It also discusses using patent classification codes from systems like IPC and CPC to refine searches.

1. Searching
for Patents
STRATEGIES AND DATABASES
Dr. Ashwani K. Dhingra

2. Purpose of Searching
• Prior Art
• State of the Art
• Patent Validity / Expiration
• Legal Status
• Infringement Analysis – to Avoid / to Sue
• Opposition
• Patent Watch / Monitor Patent
• Potential Partners for Licensing In/ Licensing Out

3. Types of Search
• Patentability Search (Novelty and inventive Step)
• Freedom To Operate (FTO)Search
• Patent Validity/Invalidity Search
• Patent Landscaping

4. Searching Methods
• Keywords
• Patent Classification Codes (IPC/CPC)
• Combination of keywords and classification codes
• Chemical structure
• Sequence for biologicals
• Semantic search

5. Keywords Based Searching
• Specific words or phrases
• Use synonyms
• Boolean operators used AND, OR, NOT, ANDNOT
• To search for exact phrase use “….” or (…….)
• Keywords can be searched in-
Full text
Abstract
Titles
Claims

6. Patent Classification Codes
• International Patent Classification (IPC) Codes- WIPO
• Co-operative Patent Classification Codes (EPO and USPTO)
• USPTO has its own system of patent classification system (USPC)
• Patent classification is a system of sorting inventions and their
documents into technical fields covering all areas of technology.
• Every patent document, regardless of whether it is an application or a
granted patent, is given a classification symbol by the examiner
indicating its allocation to a specific area of technology.

7. Benefits of patent classification
• Patent classification systems make it easier to file and retrieve
patent documents.
• When performing searches, patent examiners, inventors and
companies need to obtain results that are as accurate as possible.
• State-of-the-art searches would be virtually impossible without
classification, because searching with keywords can often produce
inaccurate and incomplete results due to the language in which patent
documents are written and the terms used.

8. International Patent Classification (IPC)
The IPC divides patentable technology into 8 key areas:
A. Human Necessities
B. Performing Operations; Transporting
C. Chemistry; Metallurgy
D. Textiles; Paper
E. Fixed Constructions
F. Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating; Weapons; Blasting Engines or
Pumps
G. Physics
H. Electricity

10. Databases for Searching
Free Databases
Country specific
 InPass
 USPTO
 SIPO
 KPO
 J-PlatPat
Global
 Espacenet
 Patentscope
 The Lens
 Google Patents
Paid Databases
 Questel Orbit
 Thomson Innovations
 STN
 PatBase
 PatSeer

11. Indian Patent Search

16. Espacenet
• Gives access to published patent applications from over 90 patent-
granting authorities
• Offers three search options-
Smart Search
Advanced Search
Classification Search
• Translation of non-English documents

18. Patentscope (WIPO)
• Provides access to international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
applications in full text format on the day of publication
• Patent documents of participating national and regional patent
offices also available

21. The Lens
• Hosts more than 100 million patent records from over 95 different
jurisdictions.
• Allows use of advanced boolean functions, structured search,
biological search, and classification search
• Also offers analysis functions
• Scholarly records from PubMed (28.6M)
• Scholarly records from Crossref (98.3M)
• Scholarly records from Microsoft Academic(164.5M)

23. Free Databases for Chemical Structure
Search
Pubchem
SureChEMBL
Patentscope