A prior art search is conducted to discover patents and non-patent literature that are closely related to the disclosed invention. This is to ascertain is the disclosed subject matter is patentable in light of prior art. Further, it provides information related to state of art around your invention.
Additionally, the prior art disclosed to the patent office along with the patent application facilitates the filing og IDS form in the US.
A prior art search may be performed using one or more of the following strategies including: keyword based search, Inventor based search, and classification based search. In addition, the prior art search may be carried out using various search engines such paid and free patent databases.
IPREngineers provides a comprehensive prior search for USD 250.
A patentability search is conducted to discover patents and non-patent literature that are closely related to the different features of the invention. This is to ascertain is the disclosed subject matter is patentable in light of prior art. A Patentability search is performed using one or more strategies including: keyword based search, Inventor based search, and classification based search.
IPREngineers provides a patentability search for USD 150 for search 3 features
Invalidity searches are performed to identify the patents and non-patent literature to neutralize a subject matter of concern. An invalidity search requires assessment of the scope of the claimed subject matter to be invalidated and then conducting a search to mine patent/non patent literature that would knock over all the limitations recited in the claimed subject matter. An analysis of the references is performed; the results are tabulated in a Claim chart to show the mapping of the prior art result/results with the claims of the patent to be invalidated.
A landscape search may be performed to understand the patent space and/or patent activity for a particular technology domain. Landscape searches provide information about different aspects related patent activity in that domain. For example, Landscape search may provide the information about the patent activity in that technological area relating to top assignees; filing details; and the direction of research in that technology domain.
Organizations may plan their direction of research based on the patent activity of the competitors. In additions, organization may obtain certain patents to block to competitors from fully occupying the landscape in a particular technology domain. This would help the organization in cross-licensing technology with competitors, if required and to inhibit competitors from being monopolistic in that technological domain.
IPREngineers provides a Invalidation search effort and time estimates.
A freedom to operate search is conducted to ensure that the technology does not infringes on the claims of any of the granted patents or publications. Normally, the freedom to operate search is performed based on jurisdiction where the company operates. For example, if the company is interested to operate in Europe; it may conduct an FTO search in Europe to avoid any infringement. This is to confirm that the product does not infringe on the claims of any of the patents in that jurisdictio
