Patent Search
Table of Contents
Patent Search Introduction
Definition of a Patent Search: A patent search is a process of searching for existing patents and published patent applications to determine whether a particular invention has already been patented or described in the prior art. The goal of a patent search is to identify potential issues with the patentability of an invention, such as prior art that may prevent the grant of a patent.
When you ask an expert what the first step is in the patent process, they’ll often say a patent search. I get many requests for patent searches from my clients.
My response is always the same.
“They’re a waste of time and money. There’s a free way that’s actually more effective.”
Patent searching, if done the old way, becomes quite expensive. $2000-3000 is common for an exhaustive search by an experienced pro.
The good news is there’s a better way that’s cheaper, and radically more effective.
This is called an Active Patent Search.
The Benefits of an Active Patent Search
The Active Patent Search is a more efficient form of patent searching. This technique shoots straight for the patents that matter – active patents held by profitable companies.
This searching technique cuts the crap, gets the essential results, saves you money, and most importantly, encourages speed and action.
Active Patent Search - FREE PDF Guide
I offer a Free PDF guide that will teach you how to use various search engines to search for actual products and companies similar to your invention, rather than patents. Yes, that’s FREE instead of $3,000 for a method that is more effective and efficient than the traditional way!
Download the Active Patent Search Guide by filling out this form:
The Techniques of an Active Patent Search
The techniques to do this search are very simple.
If and when you find any relevant results, I teach you how to check those companies and products directly for patents. These are the patents to be wary of, the active ones held by profitable companies. Those are the people who may take legal action against you if you launch a similar product.
With this method, you’re actively searching for patents that are a threat. And it’s very easy to find this type of patent. A company will usually advertise a patent right on its website or sales page.
Getting a traditional patent is very expensive and time consuming. On average they cost over $10,000, and take 22 months to approve. After spending so much time and money, companies with patents want to get some value from it, so they shout it from the rooftops!
It’s also possible to check for patents connected to the company name or the CEO name. This type of patent searching is lean, effective, and smart. It shoots straight for the patents that matter and the patents that are worth looking at.
There are literally millions of expired or abandoned patents out there, don’t worry about those until you’ve successfully tested the market and know you have a winner.
Until then, spend your money on the important things like discovering who your customers are, and how to best solve their problems.
What to do if you find an existing patent
If you find a relevant existing patent – don’t worry!
An expired or abandoned patent doesn’t stop you from creating a successful invention.
If you find an active patent for your invention, it still doesn’t stop you. You can license it from the person holding it. This means you pay them a very small royalty each time you make a sale. This is a win-win agreement, everyone benefits, and it also means you don’t have to pay for a patent, they’ve done it for you.
It’s also possible to work around patents. They’re often very specific in what they can protect. You can simply tweak the invention until it’s different enough that it’s no longer a problem.
There are lots of different options and strategies.
Conclusion
Many inventors get bogged down in the patent phase for months or even years, which is a tragic waste of time and progress.
You should be blazing through it, and you can.
This searching technique cuts the crap, gets the essential results, saves you money, and most importantly, gets you moving forward to the next steps quickly.
If you want to learn more ways to get through the patent phase quickly and effectively, check out our done-for-you patent service and our youtube channel.
Download the Active Patent Search Guide by filling out this form:
