15 September Finding and using patent information

15 September What is a patent? A patent is an intellectual property right, like copyright or a trademark. A patent is an exclusive right granted to an inventor (or the inventor’s employer). It is not an exclusive right to make, use or sell, but it prevents others from making, using or selling the patented invention. Unlike copyright, a patent is not automatic. The inventor has to apply for it and pay a yearly fee to maintain it, which can be expensive. Patents last for 20 years and can be sold or transferred.

15 September What is a patent? “Patents are legal titles protecting inventions. They offer a temporary private right to the holder of the invention who can prevent others from using his patented invention. Such an exclusive position is often necessary to recoup the R&D investments that where necessary to develop the invention. The patent system therefore promotes innovation by financially rewarding inventors.”* * European Patent Office. [ accessed 15 July

15 September Patent Offices Patents are part of national legislation: a US patent is valid in the US only; a Dutch patent is valid in The Netherlands only. International patent treaties simplify procedures: the European Patent Office offers a uniform application procedure for patents in many European countries. Patent Offices grant patents and are responsible for the dissemination of knowledge derived from patent literature (the patent specifications)

15 September Why use patent information? It provides a detailed description of an invention (for example: an item, a process or a machine), which can show you how a machine is constructed or how a particular drug is produced. Patent information is state-of-the-art information: recent patent applications contain the latest developments in a particular field. Patent information also includes information about inventors and the organizations they work for: useful company data about R&D.

15 September Searching for patents Patent databases can be searched using general search terms (e.g. keyword) or specific search terms (e.g. patent number, inventor, patent classification). Two examples of patent databases are: Derwent Innovations Index fee-based database (free on TU Delft campus) cited/citing information links to full text sources (European Patent Office) free database 2/3 full text

15 September Patent classifications A patent classification system is an important search tool. The classification is very precise and objective; much more so than keywords or other general terms. International Patent Classification (IPC) Codes an internationally recognized system assigned by Patent Offices (not always in the same way) Derwent Class Codes proprietary system assigned by Derwent subject experts worthwhile to find out which codes are associated with your field!