Conducting a prior art search and finding relevant prior art is vital for inventors to determine the novelty and patentability of their inventions. This search of prior art involves finding existing information that could be relevant to your invention. Here is a breakdown of where to look – from patent offices to private resources.

Patent Office Resources: National patent offices offer free online databases. These databases allow you to search millions of issued patents by keywords, inventor names, patent numbers, and more. This is a fantastic starting point for your search.

Examples of patent office resources include:

• This publicly accessible database from United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is a go-to source for US patents, with various features to facilitate search and retrieve relevant patents. This also offers various search tools like Patent Public Search, PAIR (Patent Application Information Retrieval), and USPTO Official Gazette.
• USPTO Patent Database
  This publicly accessible database from United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is a go-to source for US patents, with various features to facilitate search and retrieve relevant patents. This also offers various search tools like Patent Public Search, PAIR (Patent Application Information Retrieval), and USPTO Official Gazette.
• EPO Worldwide Patent Database
  This free patent database, from European Patent Office (EPO), covers patents that are granted by the European Patent Convention. Espacenet is a powerful search engine with various features for searching and has multilingual capabilities.
• CNIPA (China National IP Administration)
  This free patent database houses China's patents, which can be searched through their website with English translation options.
• WIPO Patent database
  World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) offers Patentscope, a global database encompassing millions of patents from various countries. This database is ideal for searches that involve broader country scope.
• Indian Patent database
  Indian Patent Advanced Search System (inPASS) is useful in conducting an advanced patent search.

Free Public Databases: Free resources are readily accessible and allow for a preliminary understanding of existing inventions in your field. However, search functionalities might be simpler, and the coverage might be limited compared to paid options.

• Google Patents: A free, user-friendly search engine for millions of patents worldwide. Great for beginners due to its accessible interface and broad coverage.
• Freepatentonline: Another free option offering access to a vast collection of issued patents. Useful for quick searches or retrieving specific patent documents in PDF format.

Scientific and Technical Literature: Libraries, universities, and some online databases offer access to a wealth of scientific journals, conference proceedings, and technical reports. These publications can be valuable sources of prior art, revealing existing research and solutions related to your invention.

Scientific and technical literature online provides insights beyond patents, potentially uncovering earlier concepts or research publications. However, it might require library access or subscriptions to specific databases.

Pubmed Central for example is a free resource from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) providing access to scientific publications in the life sciences. Valuable for identifying prior art in these fields, as scientific disclosures often precede patents.

IEEE Xplore is a powerful online library for scientific and technical research, provided by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It offers access to millions of documents, including peer-reviewed Journal articles, Conference proceedings, and Technical standards.

When using free resources, carefully consider terms related to your invention's function, components, and materials. Don't limit yourself to exact matches. Explore synonyms and alternative approaches to similar problems. While functionalities might be simpler, some free databases offer options to filter by date, inventor location, or patent type.

Commercial Patent Databases: Several business organisations offer comprehensive patent databases with advanced search functionalities and broader coverage compared to free resources. These databases allow you to search by specific technical details, classifications, and legal status of patents.

Commercial Patent Databases Offer a more in-depth and efficient search experience with powerful filtering and analysis tools. However, they come with a subscription fee, which can be expensive for beginners or small businesses.

Few examples of Commercial Patent Databases include:

• Thomson Reuters' Web of Science
• Quartet
• Patbase from Minesoft
• Orbit from Questal
• Relecura
• Total Patent from LexisNexis

Patent Attorney or an IP firm: A patent attorney or an IP firm can conduct a comprehensive prior art search tailored specifically to your invention. This is the most reliable option but can be expensive compared to other options.

Using a patent firm or a patent attorney provides expert analysis and insights into the potential patentability of your invention. However, hiring a patent attorney or an IP firm can be a significant investment but can be worth it.

Choosing the Right Database: For beginners, starting with free resources like patent office databases and scientific literature is a good approach. These resources can provide a basic understanding of existing inventions in the field. As your search progresses and your invention becomes more complex, consider paid databases or consulting a patent attorney, patent agent or a Patent firm for a more comprehensive search strategy.

We recommend utilizing multiple databases for thorough searches. You need to combine keyword, classification, and assignee searches for better results. Patent searching is a skill that develops with practice. Don't hesitate to seek help from professionals when needed.