Non-Patent Literature (NPL) refers to any published material that is not covered by patents. This includes scientific papers, technical reports, conference proceedings, academic journals, books, and other forms of written or recorded knowledge. NPL plays a crucial role in the patent process and can act as potential prior art in patent examinations.

Patents can only be granted for inventions that are novel (new) and non-obvious. NPL can disclose inventions, concepts, or research findings that might predate your invention, potentially affecting its novelty.

NPL provides a broader perspective on existing knowledge and technologies relevant to your invention. This helps you understand the current landscape and identify potential areas for improvement.

By citing relevant NPL in your patent application, you demonstrate a thorough understanding of the prior art and how your invention advances the field. This can strengthen your application and improve your chances of approval.

Searching NPL can help you identify existing patents that might be relevant to your invention. This helps you avoid unknowingly infringing on someone else's intellectual property rights.

NPL serves as a valuable resource for researchers, inventors, and innovators seeking to build upon existing knowledge and develop new technologies. By accessing and leveraging information from published literature, individuals and organizations can advance scientific understanding, spur innovation, and accelerate technology transfer.

NPL can act as prior art if it meets these criteria:

Publicly Available: The information must have been publicly accessible before your invention date. This could include published articles, conference proceedings, technical reports, or even public websites.

Enabling: The information must be detailed enough for a person skilled in the relevant field to understand and implement the invention based solely on the NPL disclosure.

Relevant: The NPL disclosure should be relevant to the technical field of your invention and potentially anticipate some aspects of your invention.

You can check the below sources of Non-Patent Literature to review if there are any relevant prior art.

Scientific Databases: Utilize online databases like Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, IEEE or Engineering Village to search for relevant research papers, articles, and conference proceedings.

Technical Journals and Reports: Look for technical journals, industry publications, and government reports in your field of invention.

Company Websites and White Papers: Company websites and white papers might disclose relevant technical information that could be considered NPL.

Patent Office Resources: Patent offices often maintain databases of non-patent literature that can be a valuable resource for your search.

An NPL search is not a substitute for a thorough patent search. However, it's a crucial step in the patenting process and should be conducted alongside searching for existing patents. Keep a record of the NPL sources you searched and any relevant information you find. This will be helpful during the patent application process and can potentially support your claims of novelty and non-obviousness.