Presentation which describes with screenshots some important free public patent databases, its main functionalities and its PROs and CONs. Feel free to share it!

1. Where to Search Patents
“Have to know” free public patent databases
Björn Jürgens
E-Mail: bjorn.jurgens@gmail.com
Twitter: @benlogo
© 2011
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2. ESPACENET
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3. • Multinational Patent Database hosted by the
European Patent Office (EPO)
• Offers free access to more than 70 million patent
documents worldwide from 90 different countries.
• URL: http://worldwide.espacenet.com/
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4. Home Screen & Smart Search
Interface
Smart Search: The system attempts to identify the correct field for
each given search term, e.g., “Smith” automatically searched in
inventor name
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5. Quick Search Interface
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6. Advanced Search Interface
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7. Number Search Interface
Enter either application, publication or priority number with or
without country code prefix
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8. Classification Search Interface
Search for relevant classification by entering keywords, or
search the description of a classification 8

9. Result List
Export Patents
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10. Bibliographic View
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11. Description View,
with automatic
translation function
(French, German,
Italian, Spanish)
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12. Full Document (PDF) View
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13. Legal Status
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14. Query History
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15. “My Patents List” (Patent Bookmarks)
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16. • PROs:
– Largest public patent database available (more than 70 million patent documents)
– EP patents searchable in FULLTEXT
– Saves Search (Query) History
– Enable Patent Export (from result list, limited to 30 docs each export)
– INPADOC legal status
– “My Patent” List
– Patent Family grouping
• CONs:
– No expert (field) search possible
– Search Limitations (max. 10 search terms per field, no left truncation, max. 500
results, etc.)
– No Search Query connections possible
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– No statistical analysis possible

17. DEPATISNET
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18. • Multinational Patent Database hosted by the German
Patent and Trademark Office
• Offers free access to more than 50 million patent
documents from 80 countries
• URL: http://depatisnet.dpma.de
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19. Home Screen
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20. “Beginners Search”
Interface
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21. Result List
Export Patents
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22. Bibliographic View
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23. Full Document (PDF) View
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24. Expert Search Interface
Different Use of
Operators than in
Espacenet
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25. IKOFAX Search Interface
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26. Classification Search
Interface
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27. • PROs:
– Powerful Search interfaces
– Enable Patent Export (from result list, limited to 50 docs each
export)
– Full Text searching in German Patents back until 1950
• CONs:
– No legal status
– No statistical analysis possible
– No family grouping 27

28. PATENTSCOPE
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29. • Patent Database hosted by the World Intelectual
property Organization (WIPO) contains all PCT
patents and patents from 17 national offices
• 8 million patent documents in total (1,8 million PCT)
• URL: http://www.wipo.int/patentscope/
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30. Simple Search Interface
Select collections to be searched
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31. “Field
Combination”
Search
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32. Advanced Search Interface
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33. Result List with
Refining
Interface
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34. Result List with
Statistical
Analysis!
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35. Bibliographical
View
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36. Description
View with
automatic
translation
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37. National Status of PCT
applications
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38. Original Documents related
to the PCT application
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39. • PROs:
– Powerful Search interfaces
– Statistics and RSS Feeds
– Automatic Translation to multiple languages (via Google
Translator)
– Additional PCT Documents available (Written Opinions, Int.
Search Reports, etc.)
• CONs:
– Less patents and coverage than ESPACENET or DEPATISNET 39

40. USPTO
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41. • National Patent Database hosted by United States
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) contains all
patents filed in the US
• Divided in two Databses:
– US Patent Database (PATFT): Granted US Patents in Full-
Text from 1976
– US Patent Application Database (APPFT): since March
2001
• URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/
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42. USPTO Patent Search
Home Screen
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43. USPTO “Quick Search”, with
2 combinable Search Fields
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44. USPTO “Advanced Search”
with commandos
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45. USPTO Result List
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46. USPTO Full Text View
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47. USPTO Original Document View
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48. • PROs:
– Commando Search interface (“Advanced Search”)
• CONs:
– Poor User Interface
– Only US patents (patents filed in the US)
– No statistics, no patent export
– Original Document View requires Quicktime (no saving possible!)
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49. Thank you very much!
Contact Details:
Björn Jürgens
E-Mail: bjorn.jurgens@gmail.com
Twitter: @benlogo
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