Conduct A Preliminary Patent Search

Why Conduct a Preliminary Patent Search?

• It is important to check for obvious patent records that would indicate that your invention is not novel. Oftentimes, you can find patents from others that already disclose your invention or substantial aspects of your invention.
• The search tool is free and you can use it to do a “knock-out” search. That is, if you find an existing patent document that fully discloses your idea, you may not want to spend any more time developing your invention or filing a provisional patent. Please make sure you consult with one of our patent attorneys to confirm whether you should proceed or not. This type of preliminary search is no substitute for the type of professional in-depth patentability search attorneys conduct in conjunction with an "opinion" (a formal evaluation of patent protection and possible violations of third-party rights).