News is out this month from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as they announce the launch of a new Patent Public Search Tool, which they describe as a resource providing ‘more convenient, remote, and robust full-text searching of all U.S. patents and published patent applications’.

The free, cloud-based platform is based on the advanced Patents End-to-End (PE2E) search tool that the USPTO examiners use to identify prior art, and combines the capabilities of four existing search tools into one. The Office announced this as being a significant step towards providing more convenience and functionality to users of their public search tool. They also highlight additional benefits of the platform, which allows for multiple layouts, highlighting and tagging. Naturally, one of the biggest benefits is remote searching available to all users with internet access.

This new online tool couldn’t have come at a better time considering the pandemic and remote working. It replaces the legacy, in-person Public Search Facilities of PubEAST and PubWEST that up until now have only been available on-site at the USPTO and regional offices, and which are retiring in September 2022. The tool will now provide members of the public with an easy-to-use, remote resource for searching U.S. patents, especially for conducting their own preliminary searches of new ideas and inventions.

Alongside the search tool, the USPTO has also launched a Patent Public Search webpage with abundant training resources and materials for new users.

Full press release is available here; USPTO launches new Patent Public Search tool and webpage | USPTO

 

Professional search firm, TPR International, Inc., works with attorneys and corporations to provide in-depth patent searching and analysis of worldwide patents and non-patent literature for highly technical subjects ranging from chemistry, life-sciences, mechanical and high-tech engineering. TPR utilizes hundreds of commercial databases, specialist search tools and other resources, and has the capability of searching on-the-ground in multiple countries for critical and unique prior art. Please contact TPR for further details.