Patent Research
Patent researchers are the partners of patent attorneys and IP managers – professional experts and methodical specialists.
At Serviva, more than 25 patent researchers cover a very wide range of technical expertise and have many years of experience in the use of professional databases.
Profound Patent Research
– the basis for product decisions of tomorrow
While searching for relevant state of the art for novelty searches and legal validity searches, which include objection searches and nullity searches, both professional full-text patent databases are subject to searches, and non-patent literature is included in the search.
A conscientious development of the search strategy and the use of efficient software tools enable an outstanding quality of results and a very good cost/benefit ratio.
This also applies to patent searches where patents that could hinder freedom of movement in doing business (freedom to operate – FTO), are sought after (FTO search).
Our customers receive a report which, in addition to the ascertained texts/patent documents, contains concrete information on the extent to which individual passages of text are considered relevant.
The final assessment or the decision as to whether, for example, an objection should be filed or whether one’s own products infringe the rights of third parties is carried out by our customers in cooperation with the supervising patent attorneys.
Serviva’s services also include trademark searches, which may focus on identity, partial identity and phonetic similarity testing.
Novelty search
– is the invention new at all?
Novelty search on the so-called state of the art is routinely carried out according to an invention report before this is filed for a patent or utility model.
This is to avoid making an effort to apply for a patent for ideas that are obviously not new.
With a novelty search, it is possible to estimate the achievable scope of protection and the prospects of granting a patent application, if necessary with the help of a patent attorney.
In addition, one obtains an overview of the known state of the art in a special field of technology.
In addition to the found texts/patent documents, our clients receive a short report in which the search strategy is documented, and the results are analysed.
Overview search
– what technical solutions has the competition developed?
Overview searches are often carried out before the start of a new technological project.
The result offers a broad overview of technical solutions in a specific technological area and of those involved.
This information can be used to detect technical trends and explore leeway for one’s own opportunities for development (“white spot analysis”).
In addition to the patent documents, our customers receive a detailed report in which the results are analysed and evaluated.
Opposition search
– help the authorities grant only good and legitimate patents!
When the patent office announces the grant of a patent, which may limit one’s own freedom to operate, the question arises as to whether one should file an objection against this grant of a patent.
An objection is likely to be successful if documents can be provided which were, as a rule, published before the relevant filing date and which call into question the novelty or at least the inventive step of the invention described in the patent document.
Therefore, the legal validity of the patent can be challenged.
Invalidity search
– is there state of the art that damages novelty?
If the patent office has granted a patent that may limit one’s own freedom to operate and the period of objection has already expired, the question arises as to whether one should oppose this grant of a patent.
Such an effort is likely to be successful if documents can be provided which were, as a rule, published before the relevant filing date and which call into question the novelty of the invention described in the patent document.
Therefore, the legal validity of the patent can be challenged.
In the case of legal validity searches, Serviva routinely conducts state-of-the-art patent searches that have been published before a defined deadline or have been filed for patent approval. For this purpose, extensive full-text databases are used, and searches in non-patent literature are carried out.
Experienced patent researchers specialising in a variety of technical topics ensure that the search strategy is worked out diligently – if necessary, even at very short notice.
FTO-search
– are there any patents of third parties that restrict the scope for action?
Accompanying development, but at the latest shortly before the market launch, the question arises as to whether foreign patents or utility models limit one’s own freedom to operate (or “FTO” for short).
The proven violation of valid property rights can result in huge costs and cause serious economic damage.
It is, therefore, advisable to carry out an FTO search at an early stage in the development phase, which provides information about the hazard potential.
Our customers receive a detailed report in which the search results are analysed and sorted by relevance.
An assessment of whether or to what extent the documents found actually restrict the freedom to operate is exercised by the patent attorney in charge.