1. Overview of PubWEST Patent and Trademark Depository Library Training Seminar April 2006

2. 2 PubWEST is a collection of databases

3. 3 PubWEST WEST stands for Web-based Examiner’s Search Tool, an internal USPTO database for use by USPTO patent examiners. PubWEST is the “public” version of WEST offered only in the Public Search Facility and PTDLs. WEST is not a commercial service and has nothing to do with WESTLAW®. Examiners also can use a search gateway called EAST which accesses the same databases as WEST, but has different search features.

4. 4 Default Search Form PubWEST will always initially default to the Freeform Search Screen

5. 5 Other Search Form Options Using the Pull Down Menu, you can select other search forms.

6. 6 Structured vs. Freeform Search For most users the simplicity of the Structured Search Form may be enough for their searches. The Freeform Search Form allows for more complex searches using multiple terms which then can be nested. If fields are not given the search engine assumes all fields are being used.

7. 7 Classification Search Form

8. 8 Classification Search Form Options Classification searches may be run on the Structured, Free Form or Classification search forms. The Classification search form has additional keyword access to the Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System and the Manual of U.S. Patent Classification.

9. 9 Dictionary Search

10. 10 Thesaurus Search

11. 11 Aid for Assignee Names Access to Thesaurus for aid in Assignee names since exact names of companies can vary over the life of the company. (not on USPTO web and more up to date than Assignee Code on Cassis Patents Bib disc)

12. 12 Foreign Document Retrieval

13. 13 Foreign Images Database Searchers have access to all foreign patent images stored in the Foreign Images database. 32 countries, EPO and WIPO, summarized in “Foreign Patent Holdings at USPTO” sheet sent out periodically via ALLPTDLS list.

14. 14 PubWEST Advantages This is the search tool used by USPTO patent examiners and professional patent searchers in the USPTO Public Search Facility, so your customer is searching patents using the same interface as the professionals.

15. 15 Precision Searching Proximity Operators (NEAR, ADJ, SAME, WITH) can focus full-text searching (not on USPTO Web). More focused searching means fewer patents to wade through, saving time for searcher.

16. 16 Easier Printing Multiple page US patent printing with one click. (not on USPTO Web)

17. 17 Faster Viewing Another time saver: Can move from front page image to front page image in a list of patents with one click (multiple clicks needed on USPTO web).

18. 18 Key Word in Context Text display choice can be “KWIC” Key Word in Context, displays only paragraph(s) containing search term(s) saving valuable time wasted scrolling through a patent of hundreds of pages (not possible on USPTO web).

19. 19 Power Searching with Set # Searches are saved in set numbers that can easily be combined without typing out the whole search all over again.

20. 20 Multiple Database Searching Multiple database searching possible (when there are shared fields), e.g. granted patents and pre-grant publications can be searched at same time (not possible on USPTO web). Hold down CTRL key to select additional databases.

21. 21 Foreign Patents Access Foreign patent searching access for a more thorough coverage of prior art (not on USPTO web). English language searching of EPO Abstracts and JPO Abstracts. Also available, a separate database of foreign patents and published applications searchable only by patent number or application number.

22. 22 Full Text back to 1920 OCR Full-Text database provides full-text access to U.S. patents from 1920 to 1975. (Caveat: Optical Character Recognition scanning process may miss some text characters.) USPTO website only provides full-text access back to 1976. Espacenet provides limited bibliographic text access to U.S. patents back from 1920 to 1975.

23. 23 User Profiles User Profiles provide custom tailoring of searches and search results.

24. 24

25. 25 Questions? Let’s go PubWest Live!!!