Patent searching & PatentNexus
A patent search is a systematic review of existing patents and published patent applications to determine whether an invention is novel. It involves searching patent databases across multiple jurisdictions to find prior art — earlier patents or publications that describe similar technology. A thorough patent search helps inventors understand the competitive landscape and assess whether their invention is likely to receive patent protection.
Traditional patent searches conducted by patent attorneys or search firms typically cost between $1,500 and $15,000, depending on the complexity of the technology and the depth of analysis required. PatentNexus offers AI-powered patentability reports starting with a free executive summary, with full 6-section reports at $249 and comprehensive claim-by-claim analysis at $499 — 80-95% less than traditional methods.
A traditional patent search performed by a patent attorney or search firm typically takes 2-6 weeks. PatentNexus generates AI-powered patentability reports in minutes. Our system searches 166 million worldwide patents, classifies your technology, and produces a structured 6-section report with prior art analysis, novelty assessment, and claim suggestions — all without the wait.
Prior art refers to any evidence that your invention was already known before your patent application filing date. This includes existing patents, published patent applications, academic papers, product manuals, public demonstrations, and any other publicly available information. If prior art exists that describes your invention, it can prevent you from obtaining a patent. PatentNexus searches 166M+ patents across 100+ countries to identify relevant prior art.
While you can file a patent application yourself (called "pro se" filing), working with a patent attorney significantly increases your chances of obtaining strong patent protection. A PatentNexus report is not a substitute for legal advice, but it gives you a substantial head start. Many inventors use our reports to have informed conversations with their attorneys, saving billable hours and reducing overall costs.
A patentability report is a detailed analysis that evaluates whether an invention is likely to receive patent protection. PatentNexus reports include six sections: an executive summary with overall assessment, technology classification using CPC/IPC codes, prior art analysis with ranked similar patents, a patent landscape overview, novelty and claim gap analysis, and actionable recommendations with suggested claim language.
PatentNexus searches over 166 million patents and patent applications from 100+ countries worldwide. Our database includes patents from the USPTO, EPO, WIPO, JPO, CNIPA, KIPO, and dozens of other patent offices. The database is updated regularly to include newly published patents and applications.
A provisional patent application is a lower-cost, simplified filing that establishes an early filing date and gives you 12 months to file a full (non-provisional) application. It does not get examined and cannot become a patent on its own. A non-provisional patent application is the formal application that gets examined by a patent office and can result in an issued patent. PatentNexus reports help you assess patentability before investing in either type of filing.
You cannot patent a mere idea or concept. Patent law requires that you describe a specific, concrete invention — how it works, how to build it, and what makes it different from existing technology. Your invention must be novel (new), non-obvious (not a trivial combination of existing technology), and useful. PatentNexus helps you evaluate whether your specific implementation meets these criteria.
Finding prior art does not necessarily mean your invention is unpatentable. It depends on how similar the prior art is to your specific invention. PatentNexus reports identify the closest prior art and highlight where your invention differs — these differences are potential novel claims. Many successful patents are granted for improvements, combinations, or novel applications of existing technology. Our reports include specific recommendations for how to position your claims.
CPC (Cooperative Patent Classification) codes are a hierarchical system used by patent offices worldwide to categorize patents by technology area. For example, H04L covers digital information transmission. Understanding your invention's CPC classification helps identify the most relevant prior art. PatentNexus automatically classifies your invention and searches within the appropriate technology domains.
Google Patents is a free search tool that lets you browse and read individual patents, but it provides no analysis, no classification intelligence, and no structured reports. PatentNexus goes beyond search — it uses AI to automatically classify your technology, identify the most relevant prior art from 166M+ patents, assess novelty, find claim gaps, and generate a comprehensive patentability report with actionable recommendations. Think of Google Patents as a library and PatentNexus as an analyst.
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