Dozens of quick tips, tricks, and techniques to make your google patents search fast and effective by Baton Rouge patent attorney, John Edel.

Google patents advanced search is much easier than it sounds. Also it is the default work area for Google Patents. You can start in a few simple steps.

Google Patents Basics

Google Patent Synonym Boxes
(Found at the top left of the Google Patents Advanced Search)

Organize with +Synonym boxes

Organize your invention concepts into “+Synonym” boxes. It is easier to read and easier to understand than a search string.

Illustration of how the Google Patents +Synonym boxes organize search concepts
(Grey boxes are simplified representations of documents and their content)

• Group similar terms in a +Synonym box
  (These are automatically grouped by an OR operator and may be considered an ‘invention concept’)
• Fill in another +Synonym box with a different invention concept and press Enter.
  (Google uses the AND operator (not shown because it it the default operator) to find documents with both invention concepts.)

A broad invention concept

Include multiple terms and phrases associated with a single invention concept in the +Synonym box:

• Synonyms
• Substitutes
• Broad terms encompassing the idea
• Specific examples of the idea

Remember
phrases require
quotes
Ex: "lock washer"

Phrases can be better than terms

Remove irrelevant results by searching phrases in quotes like "corn meal" rather than corn meal which can be interpreted as corn AND meal.

The most important information in the patent process is free.

Why Search in Google Patents?

Why do your own patent search?

The most important information in the patent process is free. That information is contained in your patent search results.

Also patent searching is easy and can save you the cost of an unnecessary patent application.

Google Patents
60 second
Search Plan
1. Go to
patents.google.com
2. Type in three
words (that represent
new features of
your invention)
3. Press Enter
4. Review Results

Do I need a professional patent search?

This is a risk/reward personal judgment. You need to consider:

• how well you understand the field?
• how extensively have you searched?
• how critical is a patent to your business plans?
• how much are you about to spend on a patent application?
• how much does the professional search cost?
• how likely is it that you have not yet found the best reference?

Why Google Patents?

• Google Patents is the most user friendly.
• It has the best results review page.
• Relevancy ranking in Google Patents gets results faster.
• Google Patents document review is sometimes better than the underlying documents.

Better than Google Patents

Google patents is probably the best overall patent search. However, individual search features are often better on other search platforms.
Looking up patent classifications is easier to do on Espacenet (https://worldwide.espacenet.com/classification?locale=en_EP)

Pre-Search

Brainstorm

Often overlooked, the best way to come up with a diverse set of potential search terms is a separate dedicated brainstorming session.

Keep a record of your search

At any point in your search you have a reasonable idea of what you have searched so far and what the most relevant results are.

novel feature
a features that
makes an
invention new.

Search Invention Features

If your invention is a process, features may include individual steps of the process. If your invention is a device, features may be physical components of the device. Often, an invention’s benefits can be searched as features.

critical feature
a feature that
is required
to enjoy the
advantages of
the invention.

Understand your inventions novel features and critical features then search those features.

Caution

Don’t lose your potential patent rights while you are investigating patentability.

If you made any type of disclosure of your invention or any attempts at commercialization, your potential patent rights in the in jeopardy. It is best to speak with a patent attorney about your individual situation if potential rights are at risk

Prior Art

non-patent literature
prior art that is not
a patent or patent
publication

Non-Patent Literature is Prior Art

prior art (in the US)
(a) Any reference or
document a patent
office can use to
reject a patent
application as not
being new.
(b) Includes nearly
all public disclosures
of any kind that
predate a patent
application. (Limited
exceptions may apply.)

Examples of Prior Art:

patents, books, newspapers, published patent applications, academic journals, existing products, technical manuals, etc.

Second Best Search Tool?

If your field is dominated by academic research, search in Google scholar. If your invention is a consumer product, try Amazon.com, eBay.com, and Google Shopping. If your invention is crafty or creative, maybe try etsy.com.

Prior art can be in any language and maybe hundreds of years old.

You can add or take away non-patent literature from your search results by clicking on the graduation cap icon.

What makes your invention new?

Write down 3 to 5 novel invention features. When you search you are trying to discover whether the features are actually new.

This Google patents advanced search guide is provided
by Baton Rouge patent Attorney, John Edel.

Broad Patent Search

Search broadly

The most relevant result term may not be what you expect. Use broad search terms and a variety of search terms so you don’t exclude the most relevant result.

Should I do a patent drawing search?

Text searching tends to be the most useful and broadly applicable search technique. However, some features are more easily identifiable and drawings. When that is the case a drawing search may be the best bet. (See:

Broaden your search

• Add more synonyms connected by the OR operator.
• Pick search terms that are broader/more generic.
• Use a broader classification when classification searching
• Search with fewer required terms.
  Try a AND b rather than a AND b AND c.
• Expand the search to include non-patent literature.
• Use wildcards to broaden a search.

Beyond Simple Text Search

Search like a patent examiner

Examiners constantly rely on the work of other examiners. You should too. By learning to forward and backward search you can improve the quality of your search results.

Backward search the most relevant reference:

Backward searching is checking the references that were cited in the application. If a patent examiner thought something was relevant, you might want to look into it also. In Google patents you can click on the “Patent citations” for patent documents and the “Non-Patent citations” link for non-patent literature.

Forward search the most relevant reference:

A patent examiner working on a later patent application may cite an earlier patent application. Find the earlier applications by clicking “cited by” in Google Patents.

Assignment searches

Patent owners commonly do a great deal of work in the same area. Find out who the patent owner is by clicking “USPTO Assignment.”

When the link takes you to the USPTO patent assignment page, you will already be at the relevant assignment. However, you probably want to know what the assignee has been up to. To get that information, just click on the name of the patent assignee.

That will get you to a list of all of the US patent assignments for that assignee. This is significant because you can then link to each of their patents by clicking on the patent numbers.

Search your competitors

The USPTO assignment database is a good way to find out what your competitors have been doing in the patent world. It is the database Google Patents searches.

Patents can have families, look for them

Technologies evolve and so do inventions. Inventors sometimes add new features and related applications. You can quickly find the related applications by clicking on the “Global Dossier” link.

That link will take you to the USPTO Global Dossier page which displays the family of patent applications. If you then click on “App. Date” you can sort the applications by filing date. That allows you to quickly see where the patent application family originated and the countries where applications were filed. Note: this is likely not a complete data set, but it is very comprehensive for the price of free.

Don’t live in fear

Knowing Google and the USPTO have some of your search strings is a small price to pay compared to the price of seeking patent protection for an un-patentable invention. If you do seek patent protection, your ability to prepare a better application should more than make up for the risk associated with a patent search.

Patent Classifications

Should I do a patent classification search?

If you can find highly relevant classifications, a classification search should offer great new opportunities for finding the best reference.

The Patent Office keeps really similar documents in groups called classifications. In Google Patents you might see a box like the following:

Without knowing anything about patent classification, you can narrow your search a little, a lot, or a whole lot. Google is offering to let you narrow by a whole lot by clicking the “B60R21/207” link in blue. (see image above) The text after the link is a description of what type of narrowing you will get by clicking the link. But you have two more options for narrowing your search. One is obvious: Click “View 12 more classifications” and you will get other options for similar very narrow searches. However, If you click on the descriptive text, i.e. “Arrangements for storing…” you will get broad and narrow classification options. When you click one of those options it further narrows the search to the classification.

How do I know what patent classification to search?

You can search the classification of a similar patent by just typing a classification into the Google Patents search bar. You can also search a broader classifications. (see below)

Search the Patent Classification System

If you want to do a classification lookup that does not use a patent document as a starting point go to espacenet.com. (https://worldwide.espacenet.com/classification?locale=en_EP)

Broad patent classifications are safer

You may want to choose something from that list which starts with a very broad classification group and descends to a very narrow list. No matter what you select you will be narrowing your results. The question is how much.

If you find a useful classification you can use it in your searches by typing in “CPC:” then the classification.

backrest CPC:B60R
backrest CPC:B60R21
backrest CPC:B60R21/207

Don’t get stuck in the weeds! Classification searches can be helpful, but they should only be a small part of your total searching.

Go Outside Google Patents

Go outside of Google Patents when you have a good reason like:

I Found the Reference

Focus on the differences

If the closest reference you have found is missing a few features, try searching for different combinations of the missing features. You may find a reference that is closer than what you thought was best.

Advantages matter in a patent search

What if you find out the features you thought were new are not new? Does the patent or document you found have the advantages of your invention? Perhaps finding a close reference will help you better understand your inventions advantages and what really makes your invention new.

I found my invention on Google patents

If somebody beat you to the patent office, don’t despair. You probably saved a bunch of money and learned something about how the patent system works. You will have a head start the next time you have a great idea.

Search Operators

Search Boolean combinations

(This can only be done on the Advanced Search Page of Google Patents)

If searching with text strings in google patents is a shotgun approach to patent text searching, Boolean searching is the scalpel approach. Because different techniques give different results you may find the reference google would not give you. Try some interesting combinations that are not part of the google patents repertoire. (classification + keyword)(abstract + keyword)

Search Boosting Combinations (NEAR, WITH, SAME)

(Technically these are not Boolean searches, but they may be even better)

When you use the Google Patents Advanced Search Page and combine two terms with “NEAR”, documents with the connected terms that are within 5 words of each other (?Google does not say the number?) get a search rank boost. “WITH” gives a search rank boost when the terms are within 20 words of each other and “SAME” gives a search rank boost when the terms are within 200 words of each other.

(throttle NEAR pedal) AND brake
(throttle NEAR pedal) WITH brake

Use parenthesis when you Boolean search (so you get the patent search you think you are getting)

The default operator is AND with left associativity. Note: this means safety OR seat belt is searched as (safety OR seat) AND belt. Each word automatically includes plurals and close synonyms, and CPCs can also be used without a special syntax, like (safety belt) OR B60R22/00. Adjacent words that are implicitly ANDed together, such as (safety belt), are treated as a phrase when generating synonyms.

from About Google patents searching page https://support.google.com/faqs/answer/7049475?hl=en&ref_topic=6390989, 8/26/2019

If you are liberal with your operators, quotes and parenthesis you don’t need to worry about the meaning of “left associativity” For example, use:

"safety belt" OR "seat belt"
(safety OR seat) AND belt
belt AND (safety OR seat)

Wildcards (when needed)

When wildcards are not needed

Google already looks for plurals and close synonyms, so you do not need to use wildcards to get this functionality. (you can remove this functionality by putting a word or phrase in quotes)

The wildcards:

• ?       zero or one character
• #      exactly one character
• * zero or more characters (good for root words)
• $x zero to x characters

the search:

astro*

could find astronauts, astronomy and astrophysics.

benzyl*chlor*

… can find benzene compounds with chlorine. But watch out. If the compound you are looking for is not the top 25 matches for that search term Google will likely exclude it from the results.

During Your Patent Search

Look for state-of-the-art features.

Just because you are patent searching does not mean you are done inventing. If you find a feature that makes your invention better, write it down. The best version of your invention doesn’t have to be the one you started searching.

Keep an eye out for patents you might be infringing:

If you see a patent that you think your invention might infringe, don’t panic. Write down the relevant patent number and speak to a patent attorney. Although infringement determinations can be complicated, very often they are straightforward and do not require a great deal of attorney time.

Reviewing Documents in Google Patents

Reviewing results is extremely important. Make sure that you are using the right review tools for your situation.

On the Results Page

Side-by-Side Results View

More details while searching.

You can easily view details of patents and documents beyond the snippets provided in the search results page.

Toggle the Search Term Side Bar

Save space while reviewing results.

Easily remove the search term sidebar when viewing results. Basically, there is no reason to take up a third of your screen space while you review results.

Hover Drawings!

Fast quality drawing review.

Hover drawings is the fastest way to review a huge stack of patent drawings. Turning it on by clicking the thumbnail drawing. Hover over a drawing for more details.

Straight to PDF Document Review

Document PDFs a click away.

Skip straight to a PDF for your most interesting results by clicking on the document number.

From the document review page

Find Similar Documents

When you find something close.

Click the similar button for all of your most relevant search results. This search is useful and too easy to skip.

Drawing Review

The standard drawing review.

Click any image within a document result to begin reviewing the drawings for that result.

Double Click Claim Search

Double-click a claim term to search.

The most reliable interpretation for a claim term is how it is used in the specification. Double-click on any claim term for an instant search of that term in the specification.

Is the Patent Search Done?

When you find a reference that is close to your invention, use that find to your advantage! The video above shows a variety of techniques to find other high-value references.

Similar Patents

When you find a particularly relevant reference, Google patents is happy to help you find more. Just click the similar button.

Other Search Tools:

Espacenet (EPO)
Patentscope (WIPO)
USPTO
USPTO PAIR system
Google Scholar
FreePatentsOnline

Is Google patents really a natural language patent search?

Probably. The better question might be, ‘is natural language searching helpful to a patent search?’ My answer: natural language may be helpful to a patent search, but it is not as helpful as structured searching or Boolean searching.

Expand your list of invention features

Use a thesaurus or dictionary to come up with new terms and phrases. Technical and specialty dictionaries and other publications may offer additional clues. Finally, add new relevant terms as your patent search progresses.

Avoid Duplicate Results

Anytime you can easily do so, use the NOT (-) operator to remove search results you have already reviewed.

Remove irrelevant information

Use the NOT (-) operator to remove batches of highly relevant information. Select and ‘NOT out’ a term that frequently appears in a batch of irrelevant results but that would almost never appear in a relevant result.

Parentheses are your friend

Liberal use of parentheses avoids ambiguity. Example: Use “(a AND B) or c” rather than “a AND b OR c”.

Proximity operators

Proximity operators like “near” make sure terms are near one another.

Review carefully

Don’t get carried away crafting the perfect search string. A few good search strings and some diligent review is a great search plan.

Reevaluate what is new

If you found a very relevant search result, look back at your invention and make a new list of features that make your invention new. In this case is it is better to add features and reprioritize than to delete features. With a new idea of what is important, start patent search.

Plain Old Google

Google.com is another way to find what other people have done.

Other general Internet search tools

Amazon.com, kickstarter, Indigogo, Google Product Search

John Edel
Baton Rouge
Patent Attorney
225-302-8559
john@
edelpatents.com

I have found relevant references. Can I get a patent?

When you have the relevant references, it is time to talk to a patent attorney.

Tell Google to “Find Prior Art”

When you find an old patent or other document that is particularly relevant, it makes sense to find out if there are other similar documents that may be even more relevant. WARNING: This is a date sensitive search that looks for similar patent and relevant references that are older than the reference you are searching from. Just click the “Find Prior Art” button to see a new list of similar documents. A Baton Rouge patent attorney can help you determine what references may be prior art to your invention. (Something that is more relevant after you have a patent application filing date) It is important to understand that this search feature is generally not keyed to the relevant date for your invention unless you manually set the relevant date.

Tell Google to Look for “Similar” applications.

Again, if you have found a good relevant document, use that document to find more documents. Click “Similar” and you will find many similar patents and applications. This is different than “Find Prior Art” because it is not date sensitive.

Eliminate non-useful results from your search

If you are searching for vehicle motors and your search is going off track because all the results seem to be for electric motors …

vehicle motor

Try using the minus sign to exclude results:

vehicle motor -electric
vehicle motor -"electric motor" -"electric vehicle"

This is an easy technique, but you can also exclude relevant results in the process.

How Do You Know When You are Done Patent Searching?

You might be done patent searching when references show up again in special circumstances.

Possibly the best patent search advice I
got when I was a patent examiner was this:

You might be done searching when completely independent
search methods arrive at the same reference.

In other words, if you search using three terms and find a relevant document then you search three completely different terms and find the same relevant document, you might have searched enough.

Search patent abstracts

Abstracts tend to be brief and incomplete. Use that to your advantage. An abstract search can quickly cull millions of irrelevant documents. For example if you want to search for hidden seat belts the following search might get you a better result set:

hidden ab="seat belt"

Try a different free ranking algorithm

If you feel like Google patents isn’t bringing the best results to the top, go to either freepatentsonline.com or espacenet.com and run the same search query. You might like what you see better.

Most user-friendly patent search: Google Patents

Use synonyms in your patent search

(car OR automobile) AND (motor OR engine)
Why? Synonyms increase search breadth. (Broad relevant search concepts are the foundation of a good patent search strategy.)