What tools are available for patent searching according to MPEP 904?
According to MPEP 904, patent examiners have access to various tools for conducting thorough patent searches. The section states:
“In addition to the specialized tools described below, much of the technology which examiners use in searching is available to the public through the USPTO Patent Public Search facility.”
Some of the tools mentioned include:
- Specialized classification and text search tools
- Foreign patent documents
- Non-patent literature databases
- Internet search engines
These tools help examiners conduct comprehensive searches across multiple sources to identify relevant prior art.
To learn more: