Patent Search vs Prior Art Search

Patent search: broad discovery

A general patent search explores a technology field, a competitor, or an inventor. It helps you understand the landscape, spot trends, and find licensing or collaboration opportunities.

Prior-art search: one invention, one question

A prior-art search (also called a patentability or novelty search) compares a specific invention against everything made public before a date. Its output is a short list of the closest references and how each relates to your features.

Other types of search

• Freedom to operate (FTO): can I sell this product without infringing someone's valid, in-force patents in a given country?
• Validity or invalidity: can an existing patent be challenged?
• Landscape: who is patenting what in a field, and where?

How IPnite handles them

IPnite offers broad patent search, prior-art search with the Discovery Agent, and, depending on the plan, patentability and FTO analyses. These are AI-assisted deliverables that you read or have professionally reviewed.