By Gene Quinn IP Watchdog
I frequently hear inventors ask why they need a patent search. Frequently the question will proceed: I’ve done a search of the market and there is nothing at all like my invention available to be purchased. Many times this will give inventors a false sense of security, leading them to feel a false sense of comfort believing that because they could not find the product to purchase that has to mean that there are no patents related to their invention.
While surveying the market is a wise first step, frequently there are patents lurking that have simply not been used to develop commercial products. This can be for a variety of reasons, and makes patent searches critically important. Read More.