Practical Guideline to Patent Searches

There are several ways to search for them, it is up to you to choose one. The basic guideline, divided into four parts, shows how to search in four databases (please click on the link above each database to access the tutorial and conduct your search). The advanced guides and specific tutorial are focused on certain types of search. The material was prepared to be preferably seen in a computer screen, since it has links.

NEW: Guideline for patent search in the Patentscope database (Module 4). It enables the search in full texts in documents of several countries, including Brazil. Introduction guideline to the logical operators used in patent searches. Introduction guideline to the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC). The other modules were updated.

 
The tutorials are updated from time to time, so we suggest downloading them if your version is already outdated.
Tutorials updated in December 2017 and published in January 2018.

For didactic reasons, it is recommended to follow the order below.

Access to patent applications filed in Brazil, both by residents and non-residents of the country.

Patents filed in Spain and Latin-American countries, enabling searches in Portuguese and Spanish.

Patents of more than 90 countries, including the largest depositors, such as the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Germany. Brazil is also included. This is the broadest database, and the searches shall be preferably conducted in English.

Espacenet search -  New search interface (results in graphs)

Patents of more than 40 countries, including the largest depositors. This database enables the search in full text, in the original language, in documents of several countries (including Brazil). It has several functionalities, showing the results in charts and tables.

Complementing the Basic Guideline, guidelines introducing the International Patent Classification (IPC) and the logical operators used in patent search were issued.

This classification is a very important tool in the search, as it enables delimiting precisely the focus on the technological field of interest, as keywords may show results different from the ones expected.

Introduction to the use of logical, truncation, and proximity operators in patent searches.

For an advanced search, please access the tutorials below:

Search for patents by depositor (individual or legal entity) or National Register of Legal Entities (CNPJ) (legal entity) in Brazil; search by depositor abroad.

Search for patents filed in Brazil, by the name of the inventor.

Patent search using keywords and combinations with the International Patent Classification.

Complementing the Advanced Guideline, a guideline introducing the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) was prepared.

This classification, collectively developed by the American and European patent offices, is more detailed than the IPC, allowing for a more specific search.

The tutorial below is the first in a series directed to specific fields.

Search for patents related to chemical compounds in free databases.

If you do not want to search for inventions, the INPI Portal offers other searches. You can search for the registration of distinctive signs like trademarks, in addition to industrial designs and software. It is also possible to monitor the progress of geographic indication applications.

To access the database for search of trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and software, please check here.
You do not need a login and password, just click “Continue”.