(in patent lingo, any publications uncovered in a prior art search that aren't patents are called non-patent literature or NPL). If an invention was described in prior art, a patent on that invention is not legitimate. Likewise, somebody attempting to show that a particular patent is invalid can do so by discovering prior art-- a reference of the innovation in any
publication-- from prior to the patent was filed. Kinds Of Previous Art Searches, Previous art searches are carried out for a range of reasons. Here are the main types: Patentability/Novelty: A search performed to figure out if an innovation is novel and, for that reason, patentable. They are generally carried out when a creator or business is choosing to get a patent and by patent office workers reviewing patent applications. Credibility: A search conducted after a patent has actually been issued to identify whether or not the patent workplace neglected existing previous art, which could invalidate the patent. Clearance/Freedom to Operate: A search of issued patents to determine if an idea infringes on any existing patents. If it does, the inventor may try to revoke those patents
, design a work-around and even abandon the concept. Also, a clearance/freedom to operate search might reveal that an idea is covered by patents in certain countries, however not others, and allow an innovator to act accordingly. Typically, companies carry out these searches to understand the existing circumstance in a provided field and their location within it. They can identify the most recent technology, see what rivals are doing.
and produce their strategy for progressing. Patent Landscape: These searches are in-depth analyses of all the patents related to a specific technology.