Patents, Trademarks, and Copyright

Databases

From the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office:

• Patent Public Search -  Allows searching of records for both U.S. patents and U.S. patent applications.  Does not have patents from countries other than the U.S.  Offers "Basic Search" and "Advanced Search."  (Most of us prefer to use Google Patents and Espacenet.com instead of Patent Public Search.)
• Classification Resources - Searching by classification is what experts recommend for subject searching.  You will find details on both the old and new classification systems (for searching in Patent Public Search and other patent-search databases).   
• Patent Center (requiring registration) - is the location for filing both provisional and non-provisional (or "regular) applications for U.S. patents. 
• Patent File Wrapper - Allows viewing of documents from non-provisional patent applications.

The Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) --- the classification system currently used in the U.S. and in the European Patent Office for advanced subject searching.  This is the version from the European Patent Office:

• Cooperative Patent Classification - the CPC from the European Patent Office.

Other important websites for accessing patents and patent information:

These include U.S. patents and applications, plus patents and applications from around the world:

• Google Patents - Google for patent searching, with well-developed features and with international content.  Good keyword searching and good linking to classification information, plus --- when applicable --- linking to USPTO assignment and filing information.
• European Patent Office - Espacenet is one of the most popular patent databases; it has many helpful features, includes patents from many countries, and shows patent families.
• WIPO - World Intellectual Property Organization - With a special strength in offering the patents of smaller countries whose patents might otherwise be hard to find.  Offering a Directory of Intellectual Property Offices and the PATENTSCOPE database.
• The Lens - Free & Open Patent & Scholarly Search - offering a new sort of search interface, with an emphasis on newer materials.  For coverage, see About Lens.
• For those currently affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin:
  • Through our Nexi Uni subscription: TotalPatent One offers a well-developed and intuitive interface for searching patent information.  International coverage.  See this table for dates by patent office: LexisNexis Intellectual Property Data Coverage.

U.S. Plant Patents in Color:

• Plant Patents Image Database - Color images for U.S. Plant Patents.
• To see color images for the newest plant patents, if they are not yet in the "Plant Patents Image Database," use the Patent File Wrapper.
  • Search by patent number,
  • Go to Documents,
  • Select DRW.SUPP.

Including historic reports of the U.S. Patent Office:

Russ's Guide to Gazettes at the Hathi Trust helps to explain these next entries:

• Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, v.1 (1872) - v.1262 (2002) in the Hathi Trust Digital Library.
• Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents from 1842-1921 and Index of patents issued from the United States Patent Office from 1920-1974, in the Hathi Trust Digital Library.

Some Aids

• Patents and Designs (How to read a U.S. patent document)- Help in understanding the parts of a U.S. patent.

• CPC Training - "The EPO and the USPTO have jointly prepared CPC training material to support users in their learning process of the CPC classification system."