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Patent Search
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Reliably Identify the Most Relevant Prior Art, Technical Literature, Products and Publications

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An art search is an important tool throughout a patent’s entire lifecycle. Searches can comprise many parameters and provide necessary due diligence in, for example, patent prosecution, litigation, licensing, and mergers and acquisitions.

The technology included in most of our clients’ patented inventions are typically quite complex and require a deep understanding of broad engineering/scientific principles, the current intellectual property landscape, and, most importantly, deep domain expertise in each technology sub-specialty.

GHB Intellect has extensive experience and the right expertise required to perform complex searches for various types of search (patentability, invalidity, freedom-to-operate, landscape, etc.).

Expert Patent Search Tiers

Because the scope and requirements of each search can vary considerably, GHB Intellect has devised a tiered approach to Expert Patent Search services. The tiered approach is designed to accommodate various levels of search and analysis as required by our clients.

In particular, 5 tiers of Expert Patent Search service are defined with different purposes in mind so that our clients may receive the service that perfectly addresses their requirements. In general, the lower tiers are geared towards providing budget-friendly, high-level, and quicker searches and analyses. On the other hand, the higher tiers are focused more on expanded and detailed searches and analyses, enabling our clients more reliable IP and business planning.

In all tiers, the analyses are made by

one of our leading IP strategists, who guides the team and the search process towards a high-quality search report; and
one of our technical subject matter experts (SME) who is highly experienced within the patent portfolio’s technical field; and
one of our search experts, who is trained and experienced in highly efficient and comprehensive patent, literature, and product searches.

Tiers 3 and above come with a review by our SME to provide an analysis of the top relevant references found in the search results. this will alleviate the need for our clients to hire their own experts and/or to go through the search results to find the ones that are most relevant for their purposes.

Tiers 4 and 5 not only provide more in-depth searches, they also conduct the searches through an iterative process devised by GHB Intellect to fine-tune the search parameters in multiple iterations based on intermediate search results. This will tremendously reduce the odds of a) missing a relevant art and b) including an irrelevant art in the search results.

Best Value

Tier 1

Quick

Tier 2

Basic

Tier 3

Standard

Tier 4

In-Depth

Tier 5

Custom

Global patent search with basic filtering by our search experts

Global patent and non-patent literature search with basic filtering by our search experts

Global patent, non-patent literature, and product search with a high-level review and analysis by a subject matter expert

Thorough and iterative global patent, non-patent literature, and product search with subject matter expert review for the most relevant results

Fully client-customizable global patent, non-patent literature, and product search with customizable subject matter expert review and filtration parameters

Services Included:

Expert Search
Global Jurisdiction
Patent Search
1-2 Week Turnaround

Tier 1 Services, plus:

Literature Search
1-2 Week Turnaround

Tier 2 Services, plus:

Product Search
Basic Review & Filtration
2-3 Week Turnaround

Tier 3 Services, plus:

Standard Review & Filtration
Iterative Search
Client Review & Feedback
3-4 Week Turnaround

Tier 4 Services, plus:

Custom Review & Filtration
Custom Turnaround Time

*Discounts available for multiple searches.

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Patent Search Tier Comparison

	TIER 1 Quick	TIER 2 Basic	TIER 3 Standard	TIER 4 In-Depth	TIER 5 Custom
Expert Search	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Jurisdiction	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global
Patent Search	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Literature Search		✓	✓	✓	✓
Product Search			✓	✓	✓
Expert Review & Filtration			Basic	Standard	Custom
Iterative Search				✓	✓
Client Review & Feedback				✓	✓
Average Turnaround	1-2 Weeks	1-2 Weeks	2-3 Weeks	3-4 Weeks	Custom
Fee*	$935	$1,450	$2,900	$5,800	CONTACT

* Discounts available for multiple searches

BUY NOW

Patent Search Tier Comparison

Scroll right >>>	TIER 1 Quick	TIER 2 Basic	TIER 3 Standard	TIER 4 In-Depth	TIER 5 Custom
Expert Search	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Jurisdiction	Global	Global	Global	Global	Global
Patent Search	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Literature Search		✓	✓	✓	✓
Product Search			✓	✓	✓
Expert Review & Filtration			Basic	Standard	Custom
Iterative Search				✓	✓
Client Review & Feedback				✓	✓
Average Turnaround	1 Week	1 Week	2-3 Weeks	3-4 Weeks	Custom
Fee*	$935	$1,450	$2,900	$5,800	CONTACT

* Discounts available for multiple searches

BUY NOW

Conducting Proper Searches to Aid in IP Strategy Development

To avoid wasteful and unnecessary invention filings and to strategically direct research and development (R&D) budget, a careful patent search of existing intellectual property rights owned by others and search of scientific and technical literature can help determine:

the potential of infringing on someone else’s intellectual property rights
the potential for a successful patent prosecution
the landscape of patents from competitors in the area of the invention
the most effective areas of research and development

We conduct extensive searches on patents and non-patent literature. Our methodology for searching in deeply technical/scientific fields is unique and draws upon our commitment to quality and service. Over the years, we have developed a unique process of prior art search that guarantees the best patent search results. In particular, we take advantage of our extensive expertise in various technological and scientific fields in performing our searches. The methodology requires a pair of experts working as a team, one expert in searching, and one in the subject matter. The iterative approach they take in conducting the search will ensure that not only the searches are performed thoroughly and time-efficiently, they are also on target and produce quality results. After all, no client is interested in receiving a long list of irrelevant or remotely relevant prior art.

Patent Search Types

The types and extent of each patent search we conduct varies depending on client requirements and goals. However, these patent searches may include a patentability search, a patent validity (or invalidity) search, an FTO or clearance search, or a state-of-the-art (landscape) patent search. The following categories illustrate in more detail what each of these patent search types include.

Patentability Search

To obtain U.S. patent protection, a potential invention must be new (novel), useful, and non-obvious. In addition to providing data helpful in determining novelty and non-obviousness, a patentability search could:

– help during patent drafting to write a patent application that better defines the inventive contribution of the new product over the prior art,

– facilitate prosecution by preempting examiner rejections, and

– improve the defensibility of the future patent by ensuring that the examiner considers the most relevant prior art during prosecution.

The depth of any type of Patentability Search is a function of available time and budget. A complete Patentability Search conducted by GHB Intellect will cover granted patents, published patent applications, and non-patent literature published across the world. It would also uncover evidence of past public use or sales.

Our Basic Patentability Search limits the Search to all properly classified U.S. patents and published patent applications. This prior art database search is not exhaustive but generally provides a reasonable set of results on which an analysis can be performed. In a Premium Patentability Search, we will also search European and Japanese patents and applications. The patents issued or patent applications published by the USPTO, EPO, WIPO, and JPO cover more than 90% of patents and applications filed worldwide. GHB Intellect can also customize the patent search to fit a client’s needs.

Patent Validity Search & Patent Invalidity Search

At GHB Intellect we conduct patent validity searches to uncover results that can be either validate the claims made by a patent or invalidate one or more claims of a competitor’s patent. An invalidity search is the first step taken by a company when faced with a patent infringement lawsuit. An invalidity search is a prior art search done after issuance of a patent. The purpose of an invalidity search is to find prior art that the patent examiner overlooked so that a patent’s validity may be challenged.

Patent validity searches are also conducted to check the strength of a granted patent while exploring the available licensing options. Our search experts are paired with subject matter experts in order to create a highly efficient and effective team digging deep into the domain to find critical prior art overlooked by the patent examiner. These subject matter experts may also testify as a technology expert witness as part of our patent litigation support services.

As part of the report, GHB Intellect prepares a claim chart to compare the claims of a patent to potential prior art to help a legal professional or judge determine if the patent is valid/invalid.

If needed, our subject matter experts may also act as testifying experts (technology expert witness) in support of a patent dispute (see our patent litigation support services).

Freedom to Operate (FTO) Patent Search & Clearance Search

The purpose of a Freedom to Operate (FTO) patent search, or patent clearance search, is to identify in-force patents or published patent applications with patentable subject matter that cover the targeted technology, process, or product. Our FTO Search service helps identify potential patent barriers to commercializing our clients’ products or technologies. This due diligence process examines the claims language of third-party, in-force patents to support an assessment of clients’ risks of potential infringement.

GHB Intellect takes its responsibility to our customers very seriously. For each clearance search assignment, we create an FTO search team, consisting of a search expert and a subject matter expert. Such a team is trained to perform the task using an iterative process that has proven much more efficient and effective in searching, finding, and examining relevant prior art.

State-of-the-Art Search & Landscape Search

A state-of-the-art search, or landscape search, is designed to provide a general idea of the existing prior art in a particular area. It is essentially an information collection and presentation methodology, and can be as comprehensive or limited, as necessary. This category of patent searches is conducted for the purposes of identifying gaps in IP coverage, technical assessment, tracking the competition, patent mining, etc. It assists our clients in business and product planning. It also helps guide their R&D planning.

Our team of experts at GHB Intellect provide state-of-the-art searches along with indispensable patent analysis.

Meet the Team

GHB Intellect’s team consists of highly credentialed and seasoned experts and professionals from various disciplines (technology, science, intellectual property, finance, business) who are brought into each project as needed to enable the most reliable analyses and work products. With over 600 experts and professionals, GHB Intellect seeks to never use generalists for any project. We staff each project with experts that best match its requirements and objectives. We also have experienced IP professionals to manage the team and to interface with our clients effectively. Check out Our Team as well as Our Experts.