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Engineering Research Guide

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Patents
Engineering Research Guide : COAST : Electronic Resources : Site Index : Help

What is a patent?
Why are patents useful?
How do I find patents?
Are there tutorials for searching for patents?
What are some books about patents?


What is a patent?
A patent is a document granted by a government which gives an inventor exclusive rights (for a limited time) to his or her invention and excludes others from making, using, or selling  invention without permission.

In return for this exclusive right, an inventor must disclose how the invention works in detail (enough detail so a person in the field could reproduce the invention). Similar to property, a patent can be bought, sold, or licensed. Patents are territorial right and are only valid in the country where the patent was granted. 

When the patent has expired the public can use the technology for free.

There are three types of patents:

  • Utility patents: New and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. Most patents are utility patents.
  • Design patents: New ornamental design for an article of manufacture.
  • Plant patents: New variety of plants, including spores, mutants, hybrids, or seedling.

Why are patents useful?
Patents are great sources of information about new technology and inventions.  In order to be granted a patent, inventors must fill out an application and describe their invention in detail including diagrams.  Both applications and patents are searchable and FREE.

How do I find patents?
Patent are organized by a classification system.  It is not always easy to define all of the classifications or possible synonyms that could apply to the topic you are searching.  Once you run a search and look at the results, you will see other classifications and terms for your topic. Thus searching for patents requires running multiple, related searches.  Use boolean operators and use the databases search hints and instructions.  Most countries have their own patent offices.

Two of the most used patent websites are:

  • United State Patent and Trademark Office (http://www.uspto.gov/patft/)
    Search for issued patents (full text since 1976, full page image since 1790) and patent applications (published since March 2001) granted in the United States. 
    Try the advanced search or if you have the patent number you can use the quick search.  The database can be searched by abstract, application date, application type, assignee name, attorney or agent, description/specification, inventor name, issue date, patent number, title, and many other fields. Use the extensive help screens.
  • European Patent Office (http://ep.espacenet.com/)
    You can search the European Patent office, the Japanese patent office, or a Worldwide Patent Database.  This Worldwide database covers 45 million patents from 71 countries (including the United States) and is updated weekly.  The years covered varies by country, most back at least 40 years to present.
    This database can be searched using keyword, persons, organizations, publication number, application number, or classification. Try the advanced search. You can also search the classification system, to find synonyms or keywords.

Are there tutorials or more information for searching?
There are a number of free tutorials that can help you run learn how to do a patent search.

What are some books at CSULB about patents?

Questions? Email or set up an appointment with the Science and Engineering Librarian.

 

Content maintained by Hema Ramachandran, Engineering Librarian