How to do Patent Search in WIPO Database
When it comes to doing an effective patent search, the database offered by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) “PATENTSCOPE” is something that comes at the top of our mind. With a user-friendly interface, the database offers plenty of search options to extract relevant patent related information to its users. However, if you are a newbie it would be a tough nut to crack.
This article is an attempt to help newbies get the basic idea about how to do a search in ‘PatentScope’. Without much ado let’s start…..!
What is PATENTSCOPE search system?
Patentscope is a full-fledged patent search database offered by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to search patent related information and data. Due to its rich repository and user-friendly interface, it is being used by attorneys, R&D professionals, and entrepreneurs to make informed decisions about their business and investments. The most interesting thing about PatentScope is that it is free to use and hence has emerged as one of the most sought after patent search databases. The database can be accessed through https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/search.jsf
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What is the data coverage?
PATENTSCOPE gives you access to millions of patent documents, namely: International Patent Applications filed under the PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty); Regional and national patent collections from numerous participating countries and organizations, including:
- ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization)
- Argentina
- Bahrain
- Brazil
- Canada
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- EPO (European Patent Office)
- Egypt
- Estonia
- EAPO (Eurasian Patent Office)
- Germany
- Germany (DDR data)
- Guatemala
- Honduras
Search Interface of PatentScope
This patent search database is equipped with a rich repository of patent data and a user-friendly interface that can help searchers gain valuable insights about their domains. The search interface is available in 9 different languages including Chinese and Arabic. A mobile interface was also created for users who would like to use PATENTSCOPE with their mobile phones. It is called PATENTSCOPE Mobile and it is a simple and fast version of the PATENTSCOPE interface allowing smartphone users to search and browse millions of patent documents.
How to do a patent search on PatentScope Database?
There are 4 different ways to conduct a patent search using PATENTSCOPE database. These 4 different ways are:
- Simple Search
- Advanced Search
- Field Combination Search
- Cross-Lingual Expansion Search
The Simple Search Interface
The Simple Search interface is the default interface and should be used by newbie and newcomers who don’t have much exposure in the patent searching domain. The Simple Search Interface can be for below-mentioned purposes:
- A subject matter expressed with simple keywords, a concept that is very specific in order to have a limited number of results
- A specific number: a reference to patent document in the press, in a trial, etc.
- An individual, an inventor, an applicant, etc., for example, Steve Jobs
- A company whether it is for personal interest, for merging and/or acquisition purposes or to keep track of the work of a competitor.
- An IPC code
- A specific date
There are 8 predefined search fields available in this Simple Search Interface which users can use depending on their requirements. These 8 predefined search fields are:
- FRONT PAGE
- ANY FIELD
- FULL-TEXT
- ENGLISH TEXT
- ID/NUMBER
- IPC
- NAMES
- DATES
Advanced Search
The advanced search interface is actually meant for those people who are expert in the domain of patent searching and have sufficient exposure in this field. This interface can be used to create complex search queries using an unlimited number of terms.
This interface offers a wide range of field codes and operators that can be used to combine search terms, including Boolean operators, proximity operators, and range operators. Using these operators can allow you to customize your results. It also allows you to use wildcard operators to search for variants of terms based on a common stem, or root.
Field Combination Interface
The FIELD COMBINATION interface is the third and another important search interface that a user can use to search patent related data in PatentScope database. This interface allows users make their search more structured by using targeted search criteria in any search fields (eg. title, abstract, description, etc.). In other words, we can say is that The FIELD COMBINATION SEARCH, offers a list of preset search fields that can be combined according to the users’ needs.
Cross-Lingual Information Retrieval Interface (CLIR)
This is the 4th and the last interface that a patent searcher can use to retrieve information pertaining to patents. CLIR stands for Cross Lingual Information Retrieval and will allow you to search a term or a phrase and its variants in other languages like Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian etc.
