Patent and Trademark Resource Center at Oklahoma State University: Searching Patents
Steps to Starting a Patent Search Using CPC
A preliminary patent search is a two-step process. Identify relevant patents using keywords in Google Patents, identify classifications and then search classifications using USPTO databases.
After identifying relevant patents in Google Patents, contact us for assistance with searching the relevant classifications at USPTO for a more complete search.
Also check Google, Amazon, trade journals, etc. to see if similar products already exist.
Steps to Starting a Preliminary U.S. Patent Search
Review the abstract, images, and claims
See Patent citations – other patents cited by this patent and Cited by – patents that have cited this patent
Click on the USPTO link to view the patent at USPTO and identify the current CPC classes
•5. Note the CPC classifications/technology areas
Review the definitions https://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/
•6.Search the CPC at USPTO for additional patents related to your research
Start with Patent Public Search
https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/static/pages/landing.html
Enter the class without spaces followed by .cpc. in the search box
Review the results
Cooperative Patent Classification System
Patent classification is a system for organizing all U.S. patent documents and other technical documents into specific technology groupings based on common subject matter. Search using CPC classifications for a more complete patent search.
- See Patent Classification at the USPTO
- Review CPC and U.S. Patent Classification Systems at the USPTO
- Learn more about the CPC here: http://www.cooperativepatentclassification.org/index.html
USPTO Search Guidance
- European Patent OfficeSearch patents in other countries
Additional Patent Databases
- Google PatentsSearch using keywords to identify relevant patents and classifications. Search the classifications in USPTO's Patent Public Search.
- Espacenet, EPOAccess to over 130 million patent documents worldwide.
- PatentScope, WIPOProvides access to international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications in full text format on the day of publication, as well as to patent documents of participating national and regional patent offices. See Access the PatentScope database.
- Lens.orgIntegrated scholarly and patent knowledge.