Patents and Patent Languages

• Author: Steven H. Voldman
• Profession: Is an IEEE Fellow and graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Pages: 73-84

From Invention to Patent: A Scientist and Engineer’s Guide. First Edition. Steven H. Voldman.

© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Published 2018 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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3.1 Introduction

In this chapter, patent search engines and the language of patents are discussed. In

order to understand the process, it is important to understand the language of patents.

Patent offices [1–5], patent search engines [6, 7], patent examination [8], and patent

books and courses [9–25] are discussed.

3.2 Patent Search Engines

Patent search engines are important to learn how to do a patent search [1–7, 26]

(Figure3.1). Using patent search engines , an inventor can review other patents that

exist to know how to write their own patents. Patent search engines can allow you to see

how patents are structured, written, and processed. You can use the search engines as a

learning tool to better to define your invention and tool. One can use search engines for

many other purposes as well.

3.2.1 US Patent andTrademark Office (USPTO)

A good place to start is the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) web-

site [1]. The USPTO website displays information about the language of patents as well

as the ability to do a patent search. There is a search engine for existing patents that

have “issued” and patent applications that have “not yet issued.” A Boolean search using

AND and OR functions can be performed. Key words can be place d in the graphical

unit interface (GUI) to do the search.

3.2.2 Pat2PDF

Historically, patent attorneys had to pay for access of the patent art and to provide

searches. Today, there are free patent search engines for use. A patent search engine

where a printable PDF can be obtained is known as “Pat2PDF” [6]. The website url is

https://www.pat2pdf.org [6]. The website allows to do a search for a specific patent if

you have the issued patent number.

Patents andPatent Languages