Because the types of searches a user sometimes has to perform (Patentability/Novelty, Clearance/Freedom-to-Operate, Validity, State-of-the-Art and others) differs, a patent research tool—especially the content contained within it—needs to be “fit for purpose.”  The...

The LexisNexis TotalPatent One® patent search platform makes it easy for inventors and patent practitioners to reflect the world’s patent history. Summer is over, and fall is back again. It is time to enjoy falling leaves, warm seasonal drinks, and maybe a bonfire or...

The world is not as small as it once was. Technological news and patent documents can be shared across our planet in a fraction of a second. Yet, while information may not be subject to geographic borders, patent protection remains very territorial. A patent granted...

Dating back to at least 5,000 BC in Iran, beer is one of the oldest beverages humans have produced. Beer was described in ancient writings from Egypt and Mesopotamia, and today over 6,200 craft beer breweries are in operation in the United States alone. Beer is so...

The relationship between the United States and China is complicated. Over time, relations have remained generally stable despite a few periods of conflict, and the U.S. and China have maintained the roles of both rivals and economic partners. With the United States...

The United States has a fantastic history of dreaming big, accomplishing the impossible, and innovating constantly. We have countless reasons to take a day to appreciate the progress our great nation has made. With our great country turning another year older, it only...

Patent searches are useful in many situations, and a thorough patent search could make or break a patent at any time. Whether you are exploring the patentability of an invention or if you are dealing with patent infringement, the LexisNexis TotalPatent One® patent...

You have probably noticed that “vaping” has become extremely trendy and quite controversial due to its appeal to teenagers and the potential harm it causes to users. Yes, the puffs of white vapor that fill the air on sidewalks and other busy areas might be...

Believe it or not, patent rights actually date back thousands of years to Ancient Greece. Not surprisingly, the patent system as it exists in the United States today is a much more recent development. When America was nothing more than a collection of colonies, there...

Patent searches come in all shapes and sizes, and each search is designed with a particular goal in mind. Generally speaking, your patent searches can be categorized as either patentability searches, freedom-to-operate searches, or invalidity searches. Timing and...

When inventions are conceived, one of the first actions people take is the performance of a patentability search to determine whether pursuing the invention could be fruitful. People tend to easily understand the value of a patent - they understand the amount of money...

Patent practitioners who have visited the USPTO’s website for information on searching for patents and published patent applications have likely stumbled upon the USPTO reference titled "The Seven Steps in a Preliminary Search of U.S. Patents and Published Patent...

Patent practitioners need to conduct patent searches to answer a variety of questions. Is my client’s invention patentable? Is my client’s product infringing someone else’s patent? Is my client’s competitor’s patent even valid? What does the patent landscape look like...

“Efficient” is rarely used to describe patent prosecution. For the longest time, patent practitioners have accepted as normal having to deal with multiple counterintuitive patent databases to complete a single patentability search, prior art search, infringement...

Novelty searches, invalidity searches, non-infringement searches, and freedom-to-operate searches - no matter which type of patent search you are performing, your ability to work smarter and faster determines the quality and depth of the results you find. Luckily,...

Prior Art Research in Chinese Patents According to WIPO statistics, there were 2.9 million patent applications in 2015, with the Chinese Patent Office (SIPO) achieving the landmark of more than a million filings.[1] Indeed over the past few years, China has...

Selecting the right tool for the job is clearly a good thing. Some of the more important aspects IP practitioners, information specialists and other decision makers should consider when shopping around for a patent research solution may take into account various...