General Rule: U.S. Patent Applications Are Published After 18-Months. Hence, after a U.S. patent application is filed, it is published by the U.S. Patent Office for the public to view even if it hasn't been granted as a patent yet. Published patent applications can also be searched on the U.S. Patent Office website.
How do I do a patent search on Google?
- Open the URL: www.google.com/patents.
- Type the name of the idea or some brief bit of text about the idea.
- Click Search.
How do you find out if a patent already exists?
To find out if an invention has already been patented, you can search the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) patent database. The USPTO is the federal agency responsible for reviewing patent applications and determining whether an invention is unique enough to issue a one.
How do I do a patent search?
Start at uspto.gov/patft. Next, under the heading Related USPTO Services, click on Tools to Help Searching by Patent Classification. You can now start searching. Patent searches may also be done at google.com/patents and at a number of other free sites.
How do I search for a patent before 1976?
Patents produced before 1976 can be tricky to find. If you have the patent number, or are searching for all the patents produced with a specific classification number, you can do this on the USPTO web site. Click on "Quick Search" in the green Issued Patents box.
Are patents public information?
Therefore the content of a patent is publicly available information. In the United States, patent applications may also be public. For example, if the applicant requests non-publication or if the application is subject to a government secrecy order, then the Patent Office will not publish the application.
Can anyone look up a patent?
Patents may be searched in the USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT). The USPTO houses full text for patents issued from 1976 to the present and PDF images for all patents from 1790 to the present.
Is a patent confidential?
Patent confidentiality means that you can reveal your invention to a third party without worry that they will steal your idea or reveal information about your invention to the public. You can protect information about your invention by using a confidentiality agreement.