Video Transcripts : Patent searching: Google Patent Search

You can start with a general keyword search or with an advanced search, which offers options that can bring back a more targeted set of results. If we click on Advanced Search, you will see a list of filters on the left side of the screen. This section begins with the search terms header.

We can enter our search term stent graft, which initially brings back about, results. We can then add some filters to narrow down this list. For example, we can set the date filter so that we only see patents granted within the last years. In other words, patents that have not yet expired. We can also limit our results based on other factors like language, status, and type.

When we apply these filters to our search, the list is narrowed to about, 184,000 results. If you see a patent of interest, click on it to get more information. The patent's page will include an abstract that summarizes the information in the patent, and quick access to the images, which can help you understand how the invention is designed.

If you select the Find Prior Art link, you'll see a new search screen that shows prior art that pertains to the patent you were viewing. In other words, any previously published information on which the patent's claims have been developed. The Similar link will retrieve similar patents, which is another helpful way of retrieving potentially relevant sources for your background research.

The page also shows the patent's classifications. Patents are organized in an international system of classifications or categories. In this example, the classification is AF/ Stent-grafts. We can select Search to see a list of all patents within this classification. Or we could select Add to Query, which retains the keywords and filters from our first search. This would bring back a more focused list of results, but may not include all relevant patents.

Keep in mind that there may be multiple classifications or sub-classifications that are relevant to your search. Here we could select View more classifications to see all of the classifications for this patent. For more information about classification as a search strategy, review the tutorial Tips for Classification Searching.

If we scroll to the bottom of the patent, there are some reference lists where you may find other useful sources. For example, there are patent citations. non-patent citations, as well as patents that have cited this one. There is also a list of similar documents that is usually shorter than the one you would retrieve by using this Similar link, which may make it easier to sort through.