Prior Art Search for Patent and Utility Model


Prior Art Search for Patent and Utility Model

This is a search using IPDL (Industrial Property Digital Library) of JPO to verify the existence of prior art document before filing a patent application or a request for examination.


1. Covered Documents
In principle, published patent applications and utility model applications (including registered utility models) are covered.


2. Term of Search
In principle, published patent applications and published utility model applications (including registered utility models) are available up to the present. It is possible to change the term in accordance with the technical field and the technical content. When extension of the term is desired, PATOLIS database (Japanese Patent Database) is used in combination with IPDL.


3. Search Procedure
After carefully reviewing the technical content of the search, logical formulas for IPDL search are drawn up to narrow the final number of search results to from around 100 to 1000 references. Then full texts of the hit references are carefully reviewed and references closely related with the object of the search will be reported as located references.


4. Reporting Style
We will locate at least one patent or utility model reference and report it together with the logical formulas for search and the copy of the located references.
There are 2 types of reporting style. Please refer to the attached sample.

Sample 1 Report only the degree of similarity to the object of the search
Option Report with comments comparing with the object of the search


Reporting in a customized format is also available.


5. Delivery Date
Reports are delivered in 7 to 10 days after receiving orders for 1 to 3 searches. When more than 3 searches are desired, delivery date is negotiable.


6. Cost
From $600 (per search)

Optional Reports with comments involve an additional charge of $65. Copies of the references are 25¢ per sheet.


7. How to Order
Contact us and provide a copy of the specification for the search before filing the patent application or a copy of the published patent application (published utility model) for the search before filing the request for the examination attached.




Exemplary case study of the prior art search using IPDL to be provided by JPO in the case of Japanese patent and utility model is shown.


Reporting style (Sample 1)

Kokai publication No. 2002-xxxxxx: Network connecting device and communication system
Covering periods to be searched: 1983.1.1 〜 2002.9.4
References to be searched: Japanese publication of patent and utility model applications
Search points:
(1) bus styled network connection is connected to both ends of network,
(2) transmits frame from one end of network, then receive the frame at other end of network within predetermined time,
(3) there are two items of communication equipments in network connection.
(Words of logical formula for interrogating IPDL)
Multiple formulas will be applied eventually.


1.フレーム and 受信 and ネットワーク
2.障害 or 故障 or 異常 or 回線断 or 断線
3.チェーン or リング or チェーン

No.1: Final Boolean formulas (1 and 2 and 3)
Hit patents (66 references)



1.ネットワーク and (障害 or 故障 or 異常 or 回線断 or 断線)
2.デジ or ディジ or ループ or チェーン or リング
3.フレーム

No.2: Final Boolean formulas (1 and 2 and 3)
Hit patents (100 references), utility model (0 references)



1.ネットワーク and (障害 or 故障 or 異常 or 回線断 or 断線)
2.ループ or チェーン or リング
3.一定時間 or 以内 or タイマ

No.3: Final Boolean formulas (1 and 2 and 3)
Hit patents (57 References), utility model (0 references)
Hit patent and utility model references should be investigated in terms of their full specifications and compared with the search subject.
Search Results
List of located references:

(1)JP2000-0115201 Omron (similarity: A)
(2)JP11-306109 Fujidenki (similarity: B)
(3)JP06-164611 Hashimoto Denshi (similarity: B)
(4)JP06-006366 Brother Kogyo (similarity: B)
(5)JP09-008835 Fujitsu (similarity: C)


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