Searching Registered Patents

Making a search of registered patents is a helpful tool for inventors and patent attorneys who intend to register a patent. 

Searching registered patents can be carried out by the inventor himself; he can carry out a free patent search at no cost, using free patent databases on the internet, available for the public to inspect. 

There are registered patents published in the patent databases that are likely to influence the extent of the rights awarded for the patent that is being applied for, so it is advisable for the inventor to personally search the patent databases in order to learn about patents that already exist in the field. 

However, some databases – for example the USA’s patent database – do not only list registered patents, but also patent applications that have not yet been awarded a patent, or that have been abandoned, or that are in the process of examination. Many countries – like Israel – do not publish patent applications until the patent is accepted; i.e. only after the patent examiner confirms that he patent has been accepted will the patent application be published. But in countries like the USA, this is not the case. 

The American patent office usually publishes the patent details after about 18 months, including description and illustrations submitted by the inventor, even if the patent has not yet been granted. It is disadvantageous to the inventor to have the information published before the protection is granted. Many inventors therefore prefer to apply for a patent in Israel first, for a rapid response, before submitting the American application. 

The inventor’s free independent search for registered patents comes at no cost and can help him obtain information that can improve his invention, compared to the knowledge he already had of the invention’s field. Our company supports inventors from the first step: even before carrying out the search inventors can approach us and we will provide them with more information on this matter. When the inventor finds relevant information on his invention in a search, it is useful to make a note of the patent numbers found or to print the first page of the patent, and organize a meeting with a referral to a patent attorney who can formulate a new application for a patent in light of what has been previously published.