A patent manager's guide to a patent search project

摘要

This guide describes how to conduct a patent search project. When I worked as a patent manager, I felt the need for a guide that explains how to conduct a search project and explains the kind of documents necessary in conducting the project. This guide describes the project management methods that are absolutely necessary to manage a team search project effectively, and addresses patent related procedures including retrieving and analyzing patents.;The guide focuses on a "freedom to operate" patent search, although it could be used for other types of searches, such as "state-of-the art" searches, "patentability" searches, and "validity" searches. A patent is a right to exclude others from making, using, importing, selling and offering to sell any patented product without proper permission from the owner of the patent. Using the freedom to operate search, a company that manufactures a new product can minimize the risks caused by others' patents and continue the business of manufacturing products without blocking the product from entering the market.