IPNITE PATENT GUIDE
How to Perform a Prior Art Search
A prior-art search answers one question: has the combination of features that makes your invention work already been disclosed? This method keeps the search focused.
IPniteStep 1: Define the essential features
Write your invention as a short list of technical features that, together, solve the problem. These features are what you will compare each reference against.
Step 2: Build the vocabulary
For each feature, list synonyms, broader and narrower terms, and the words used in the field. Add the relevant IPC or CPC classification codes as you discover them.
Step 3: Search in rounds
Start broad, read the best results, and refine. Each relevant document gives you new terms, classifications, and citations to follow. Search non-patent literature too: papers, standards, and product documentation.
Step 4: Compare feature by feature
Build a simple table with your features as rows and the most relevant documents as columns. Mark which features each document discloses. A document that discloses all of them is a novelty problem; several documents that together cover them raise an inventive-step question.
Step 5: Document and decide
Record the databases, queries, dates, and your conclusions. Use them to decide whether to file, which features to emphasize in the claims, and how to describe the advantages of your invention.
Frequently asked questions
Can a search be complete?
No search can guarantee that every relevant document was found. A careful search reduces risk; it does not eliminate it.
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