Patent information comprises of broad information accumulated over a long period of time. It is technology information altering the skill of new information in related to the idea collection and research progress when searching for new R&D themes. The exclusive right is protected over a specified period changing the prevention of entrance by competitors, and as right to receive royalties through the license agreements it is mean to create management profits through royalty revenues and prevention of overlapping research by determining the technology and merchandizing trends of competitor corporations. It should be utilized and managed by management, information to ensure product competitiveness using the monopolistic market control over the period for which the right is valid.
Patent Information Search Methods
1. Bliographic Search
The researcher is already aware of patent number and the inventor’s name, the research can be conducted very simple and quickly manner. This kind of research is to find out what is protected by a particular patent number, and what patent is possessed by a particular patent. Bibliographic search can be performed as personal background search, history search, and chronological search.
2. Patentability Search
Patentability search is the most general search method. This search is used to determine whether it is a subject that can be patented, whether it is valid, whether it is original, and whether it is self explanatory. Therefore, it is advisable that the patentability search can be conducted before the development of invention. The purpose of this search is to determine whether a prior patent or prior technology exists or not. Inventor can search useful prior data in preparing for patent application.
The search of invention ideas or prior technology is related to patents already applied can enable the application decision after confirming the possibilities of acquiring the rights, and the most fundamental utilization method to widen and strengthen rights acquisition by enabling the adjustment of claim.
3. State of the Art Search
State of art search is the general search in relation to prior technology in particular fields. This Search can basically involve extensive collection of information or it can be narrowed down. This is the search to find license technology to solve specific technology problems or other similar purposes. This kind of specific technology field is a utilization method which can perform a wider scope search and analysis of specific information relating to the R&D theme to conduct more effective and strategic R&D process, and it can be divided into the following detailed research and analysis methods
(1) Basic information search: Collection and Extraction of the related data
(2) Classification information search: Classification of Technology
(3) Analysis information search: Analysis and Technology Classification
4. Continuing Search
Continuing search is called as monitoring search and is mainly used to determine patent trends in the interested filed or competitor trends. It includes the monitoring search of legal status in the relation to specific case.
5. Assignment Search
When a patent is assigned to another person or company, this is same thing as a sale despite the use of other terminology. For example, whether it is an individual or a company, the buyer is called as the assignee and the seller, such as the investor, is called as the assignor. The purpose of this search is to determine the legal owner of relevant patent.
6. Infringement Search
An infringement search is use to determine the actions that violate or covered by a patent that has not been terminated. This search has deep relationship with the non-terminated patent claim.
7. Validity Search
Validity search conducted by an individual or a company, this is use to determine whether a patent possessed by someone else can be invalidated. The searcher finds public period knowledge used in an invention or technology defects which can warrant the invalidation of the patent. So, validity search is to determine whether a non-terminated patent is valid.
Information search method is the information provision, objection submission, and invalidation judgment in order to invalidate patents that are obstacles to product sales of one company. This is one of the utilization methods requiring highly advanced analysis techniques in terms of patent information research and can be determine the validity and invalidity of rights by indicating the levels of relevance to patentability by researching technology other than the patent reports of major countries including Korea, USA, and Japan etc.
8. Rights Termination Search
The infringement search is focus on non-terminated patents; rights termination search is Focus on terminated patents. This search determines the potential legal outcomes of reproducing processes, products, and designs of other companies, which the exclusive rights have a look of terminated.
9. Patent Map
This is a method to search prior patent information in relation to new generation R&D using various types of patent information utilization methods. This is a exact and comprehensive method which can be applied to highly advanced utilization methods and used for the purposes of technology information utilization for technology development trends, technology extension situations, competitor trends, market participation potential, product development flow, and determining technology scope and utilization of rights information for patent acquisition potential etc. through collection, extraction, analysis, and mapping of relevant data to enable the setting of R&D direction, overlap investment prevention, missing technology discovery, prior prevention of patent disputes etc. by determining the proliferation status of the technology.
