Need Help?
Using USPTO
When searching for patents, here are some tips to structure your search:
- If searching for patents by a specific person, look for an "Inventor" field (keep in mind that you may need to try varied spellings!)
- If an inventor was affiliated with a company, university, or research center when they filed their patent, that company will be listed as the "assignee". Use the "Assignee Name" field to restrict your results to specific companies.
- USPTO 7-Step Strategy
This link opens in a new window
This 7-step strategy provides helpful tips and links while guiding you through a simple process to searching patents.
Includes brainstorming, searching the USPTO index, relevancy checking, scope and "see also" references, accessing full-text, and reference checking. - USPTO Tutorial
- This link opens in a new window
This 80 slide tutorial provides a step-by-step strategy on searching the USPTO. - USPTO: Search for Patents
- This link opens in a new window
This page links to many webpages that may be useful when beginning your research. Includes webpages about full-text and image databases, patent application information retrieval, patent and trademark resource centers, patent official gazette, common citation document, searching international patent offices and published sequences, and patent assignment database.
