Before pouring time, money, and creativity into developing a new invention, one of the smartest first steps is conducting a patent search. A patent search can help uncover if your idea—or something very similar—has already been patented or otherwise publicly disclosed. This can save you from wasted effort, potential legal issues, or investing in an idea that’s not truly unique. A patent search with My Patent Guys is a small upfront cost compared to a typical nonprovisional patent application.
A proper search gives you insight into the competitive landscape, helps you refine your idea, and strengthens your eventual patent application. You’ll also better understand how to differentiate your invention from others and avoid infringing on existing patents.
Who needs a patent search? Inventors need it to make sure their idea is actually new. Startups use it to avoid legal trouble and assess freedom-to-operate including whether they can safely bring a product to market. Investors often require it as part of due diligence before funding a new venture. Even engineers, researchers, and universities benefit by understanding what’s already been done and how to build on existing innovations.
At My Patent Guys, we tailor our patent search to your needs. We search both the internet and patent databases for all aspects of your invention. We look for all types of prior art including patents, patent applications, publications, videos, blog posts, retailers, recipes and more! Our high quality client reports describe and document the prior art found, and give our honest analysis regarding patentability and freedom-to-operate. In the end, if we don’t think your idea is patentable, we may be able to suggest modifications to it that would be.
If you need help getting started with a patent search, send us a message at colton@mypatentguys.com.