You can find a patent by name by searching through the database of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO website is full of valuable information you can search to find any patent name registered in the United States.

What Information Can Be Searched on USPTO's Website?

USPTO's website is chock full of a staggering amount of high-value and searchable information about specific patents and trademarks. It includes a library of patent and trademark laws and regulations, as well as news items about trending issues.

How to Use the USPTO Website

To use the USPTO website based on the current configuration, you only have to log onto the site at the above address, and then click on your area of interest, such as Patents or Trademarks. When you click on Patents, you will see a detailed table of contents listing every resource on the website.

What Portion of the Website Leads to Different Types of Searches?

If you are using the website for research purposes, the Search Patents section offers the best user experience. It provides a menu with a variety of search types you can perform in the USPTO databases.

What Are the Types of Searches?

One of the most useful searches is titled Patent Number Search. This search will benefit users who are looking for a copy of a particular U.S. patent number.

When you enter the patent number in the box on the search page, you get immediate access to a datasheet that provides:

  • Abstract of the patent
  • Bibliographic data, including the name(s) of the inventors, the owner of the patent, and application filing date
  • References cited in the patent application
  • List of the patent's claims

How Can You Access a Copy of the Full Patent?

When you click on Images at the top of the datasheet, you will have access to a copy of the full patent with drawings. The full-page images are rendered in tag image file format, or TIFF.

What Is the Requirement to View the Patent's Files?

To view the files of the patent, you need a computer with a browser plug-in that can read PDF files.

Advantages of Accessing Patent Images on USPTO's Website

Accessing these images saves time and expenses. People used to buy copies of patents from libraries and commercial service providers before the availability of patents on USPTO's site.

What Are the Types of Searches?

Sometimes you may not have a patent number, but you require it to find other information related to the patent. In that case, you can use the Advanced Search option and enter the name of an inventor to find their patents. You do this by typing "in," then the inventor's name, then a forward slash "/." The website will automatically list every patent issued in that inventor's name.

You can also search for a list of all the patents owned by a specific company. All you have to do is enter the company's name, which should be preceded by "an" representing the assignee's name, followed by a forward slash. Several other field codes are available, including title, issue date, application serial number, and attorney name, which are used for searching for specific information.

You can also search the patent database by using the U.S. patent classification system, which allows you to search for patents related to a certain subject matter or profession. This method can help you conduct an initial patentability search of an invention.

How to Use Tools to Help in Searching by Patent Classification

When you click on the button titled Tools to Help in Searching by Patent Classification, you will see a list of current U.S. classes and subclasses. With this, you can perform a text search for a specific subject matter to find its class and subclass listing.

Is There a Caveat in Searching on USPTO's Website?

The description of how to search the USPTO provided above is a general guide for users. These searches do not provide sufficient evidence regarding the patentability of an invention and should not be treated as such.

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