Research Guides: Patents and Trademarks: Search Most Often Used Patent Databases

Search Most Often Used Patent Databases

These web databases allow free access for everyone.

Google Patents
Espacenet (European Patent Office - worldwide patents) The oldest of the major international patent databases. Its home screen features a simple "Google style" search box that also allows complex Boolean and proximity command search. The top menu line links to Classification search (Cooperative Patent Classification codes and definitions) , and to Advanced search (drop down menus for all searchable fields). The browser features side-by-side frames; click in a title list to quickly display abstract, drawings, claims etc.
Patentscope WIPO's (World Intellectual Property Organization) major international database features sharp thumbnail images, many searchable fields, side by side displays of title list with your choice of other fields, and help links to tutorials and free instruction webinars.. You can search by CPC (Cooperative Patent Classification) and IPC (International Patent Classification)
Lens.org
One of 4 major free international patent databases. Includes structured search with fields listed. Excellent graphic analysis and displays. Non patent literature can be included
Freepatentsonline.com *Same field codes as USPTO web databases*Search granted patents and pre-grant publications together*Includes European and WIPO patents, Japanese Patent Abstracts, and Non-Patent Literature cited in patents.*Advanced Search includes proximity search [full text search is limited to 1976-present]*Fast downloading, printing, and exporting to spreadsheets.
USPTO's Patent Public Search (US patents only) replaced by new Patent Public Search that is still being improved: https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/ . MANY more features, similar to old PubEAST at USPTO search rooms

Citation Search (on campus, or with UMD password)

Derwent Innovations Index, 1963-present Facilitates precise patent searching, letting you conduct patent and citation searches of inventions in chemical, electrical, electronic, and mechanical engineering. Also merges value-added patent information with patent citation information.

Nexis Uni Academic Patent Search Allows proximity search, truncation; may have better OCR search than Google Patents Includes: Combined US Patents or separate search of Utility, Design, or Plant Patents, European Patents, Japan Patent Abstracts, Patent Cooperation Treaty Applications

IEEE Xplore full records from a search include any available patent citation links
ScienceDirect
SciencDirect has a "References" field that can be proximity searched to find patent numbers, inventors, and title words
Web of Science Core Collection The Web of Science Core Collection provides comprehensive coverage of the sciences, social sciences, and arts, and humanities across journals, books and conference proceedings. It indexes more than 5,700 major journals across 164 scientific disciplines. The best database for finding what papers have cited other papers. Cited references can be traced forward in time. Web of Science Training Materials available here: http://wokinfo.com/training_support/training/web-of-science
JSTOR
JSTOR is best known for its humanities and social sciences coverage, but its full text proximity search sometimes can locate even some very old articles that cite older patents.

Databases- Onsite Only

Derwent Innovations Index (requires UMD username/password)

Search international patents back to 1963; many have hot links to later patents that cite them as prior art

PubEAST and PubWEST

Please call ahead: Librarian login required
Faster than the USPTO free web databases
Offers more features and search capabilities than the USPTO free web databases
Includes international patents

Official GazetteMicrofilm

vol.1(1872) - vol.845(1967)

Paper OG in offsite storage: 1943-1998 (ask Librarian for assistance)

But current year OGs are online:

Patents (most recent 52 issues)
Trademarks (most recent 52 issues)