Access to technology information has expanded rapidly in recent years, a result of the increasing availability of technical documents in digital format and the progressive development of electronic means of distribution and retrieval. As the quantities of technology information available to the public have grown, so too have the challenges of finding relevant information from which useful knowledge can be extracted.

This Guide aims to assist users in searching for technology information using patent documents, a rich source of technical, legal and business information presented in a generally standardized format and often not reproduced anywhere else.

Though the Guide focuses on patent information, many of the search techniques described here can also be applied in searching other non-patent sources of technology information.

A patent has two important functions:
• Protection. A patent allows the patent holder to exclude others from commercially exploiting the invention covered by the patent in a certain country or region and for a specific period of time, generally not exceeding 20 years.
• Disclosure. A patent gives the public access to information regarding new technologies in order to stimulate innovation and contribute to economic growth.

Download WIPO Guide to Using Patent Information

PDF format, 1.4MB, 44Pages.

WIPO Publication No. L434/3(E)
ISBN 978-92-805-1742-2

World Intellectual Property Organization
Address: 34, chemin des Colombettes
P.O. Box 18
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 338 91 11
Fax: +41 22 733 54 28
e-mail: wipo.mail@wipo.int
Visit the WIPO website at: http://www.wipo.int
and order from the WIPO Electronic Bookshop at: http://www.wipo.int/ebookshop

Table of Contents
Introduction 3
How does the patent system work? 3
Protection 3
Disclosure 6
Why use patent information? 6
What information does a patent document contain? 7
Where can patent information be found? 10
Which strategies can be used to search patent
information? 11
Search by keyword 12
Search by patent classification 15
Search by number/date ranges 18
Search by applicant/assignee name or by inventor name 20
Search in specific data fields 21
Using citations and reference information 22
Good practices in searching patent documentation 24
How can patent information be used? 26
Prior art searches 26
Gathering business intelligence 32
Avoiding patent infringement 36
Patent valuation 37
Identifying key trends in technology development 38
Where can non-patent literature be located? 42

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