U. S. Patent and Trademark Office features online publications, downloadable forms, and other information. Some features of the site:
U.S. Patent Databases provides "Full text of all US patents issued since January 1, 1976, and full-page images of each page of every US patent issued since 1790." The site features three search types: Quick Search (Two-term Boolean Searching), Advanced Boolean Searching, and Patent Number Searching. Search for patents issued before 1976 by patent number or current U.S. classification number. Older patents are only available as page images .tiff format which require an additional software plugin for viewing and printing. Software and instructions are available from the site. Use the Manual of U. S. Patent Classification to determine the current US classification number.
Note on older patents: The first numbered patent was issued in 1836. Patents issued before that date have the letter X before a number. Use the three-volume Subject Index of Patents for Inventions 1790-1873 (I23.7:874/1-3 Government Publications Reference) to find numbers for patents issued from 1836-1873.
Trademark Database (TESS) with the full bibliographic text of pending and registered trademarks. Read the disclaimer for dates of coverage. Choose Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) from the opening menu.
Alternative Patent Databases:
FreePatents Online this web page contains patents numbered from 4,000,000 on.
Pat2pdf this web page downloads the patents from the Patent database and converts them to pdf format. Patents are only retrievable by patent number.
Official Gazette Notices "Consolidated Listing is a compilation of the more important notices and rule changes which were published in the Official Gazette from July 1, 1964, through December 31, 1996. These notices and rule changes are currently in effect unless otherwise noted. "
Tutorials: Patent Searching Tutorial (Engineering Library, University of Texas at Austin) Most materials described in this tutorial are available in print or electronic format in the Government Publications Library. Consult Chinook for call numbers.
Colorado Trademark Information
Business Database a searchable database of the business records maintained at the Colorado Secretary of State's Office. Includes images of filings. Use this database to search for trade names of Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Liability Partnerships, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Limited Partnerships, whether foreign or domestic, that may register a trade name with the Colorado Secretary of State.
Canadian Patent Search "This database lets you access over 75 years of patent descriptions and images. You can search, retrieve and study more than 1,300,000 patent documents."
European Patent Office (EPO) provides a search for over 30,000,000 patent documents from the European Patent Office and patent offices of member countries. The esp@cenet database includes of 30,000,000 documents.
Intellectual Property Digital Library a searchable database of patent applications (PCT Database), international marks (Madrid), and bibliographic entries for details of articles published in leading scientific and technical periodicals (JOPAL).
Collection of Laws for Electronic Access an electronic collection of intellectual property laws from 35 countries and treaties administered by WIPO. Contains the full text and bibliographic citations. Available in Spanish, French, and English.
Research Guides
Research Roundup: Searchable IP Databases a guide to state, US, and international intellectual property (patents, copyrights, and trademarks) databases that are available on the Web.
