Select and categorize prior art
Screen results for relevance, organize them with tags and prepare an analysis report.
In this guide
45-75 minutes
2 credits per office
Intermediate
What you'll get
Comprehensive prior art analysis report (12-15 pages) with preliminary design-around suggestions. Attorney review enables more sophisticated patent strategies.
Curation workflow
Search
Collect relevant patents from various DBs
Filter
Select highly relevant patents
Classify
Tag and organize by technology
Report
Document analysis results
Detailed step-by-step guide
1
Establish comprehensive search strategy
Combine multiple databases and search strategies for thorough prior art investigation.
Search strategies:
- Keyword variations: Use synonyms, abbreviations, various technical expressions
- Classification code combinations: Precise search using IPC, CPC codes
- Citation networks: Track citation relationships of core patents
2
Primary filtering and relevance assessment
Quickly screen collected patents to identify core prior art.
Technical relevance
Technical similarity to your invention
Temporal relevance
Consider filing and publication dates
Legal status
Granted/abandoned/expired status
Applicant analysis
Identify major competitor patents
3
Tag Classification and Organization
Classify selected patents by technical elements and organize in manageable form.
Tip: Using consistent tag system makes future search and analysis much easier.
Classification by core technology (e.g., sensor, algorithm, UI)
Threat level (high/medium/low)
Utilization potential (design-around, licensing, invalidation)
4
Generate comprehensive analysis report
Create report with strategic insights based on curated prior art.
Report structure:
- • Technology trend analysis and market status
- • Key patent holders and portfolio analysis
- • Differentiation points from your invention
- • Design-around direction and prosecution strategy suggestions
Advanced usage tips
Database integration
Combine advantages of USPTO, Google Patents, KIPRIS and other DBs to enhance search quality.
Periodic updates
Use saved search queries to periodically monitor new prior art.
Collaborative curation
Review and tag prior art with team members for multi-perspective analysis.
Related guides
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Build a strong patent portfolio with systematic prior art management.
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