Conceptual Searching: Extracting Relevant Results
Keyword-based searching has well-documented limitations. A syntactic search engine will return results solely based on the phrases and words entered by the searcher. In this case, synonyms, translations, and homonyms are all problematic. This technology is simply insufficient to find...
Top Reasons to Conduct a Novelty Search
Is a Novelty Search Really Necessary? A patent is a costly endeavor, costing tens of thousands of dollars. And that’s assuming everything goes as planned! Any bumps or roadblocks you encounter along the way will cost you more money and...
Is a Patent Search Tool Necessary for R&D Teams?
Patent searching was once thought to be the sole domain of IP departments. Some corporate cultures discouraged engineers, researchers, and other inventors from even considering patents. They feared that doing so would limit innovation or perhaps even lead to (inadvertent)...
The Most Popular Patent Database Search Techniques
Many patent professionals are unsure when a patent search is complete. When missing significant prior art can have serious consequences, maintaining a balance between efficiency and quality is critical. Using only one patent database search technique limits the breadth of...
Value of a Patent: Contributing Factors
Understanding the worth of individual patents as well as an IP portfolio as a whole is critical for making strategic business decisions. What factors contribute to the value of a patent? Predicting and proving the worth of a patent must...
When Is Defensive Patenting Required?
Organizations do not always patent an innovation in order to immediately commercialize it. Companies, particularly large ones, may seek patents on inventions that are related or complementary to their core offerings in order to prevent competitors from incorporating the technology...