Know your invention is new before you invest in filing.
A patentability search, also called a novelty or prior art search, finds the closest existing patents and publications to your invention before you file. Our searchers and patent attorneys tell you what is new, what is not, and how to claim it, so filing budgets go to inventions that can be granted.
- Global patent and non-patent literature, including non-English art
- Attorney opinion on novelty and inventive step, not just a list of hits
- Claim guidance that steers your draft around the closest art
Request a search quote
Tell us about the invention in a line or two. A search specialist replies within one business day with scope, timeline and fees.
The prior art an examiner will find, found by you first.
A patentability search looks for everything published before your filing date that is close to your invention: granted patents and applications worldwide, journal papers, conference proceedings, standards, theses, product literature and other public disclosures. The results are measured against the tests every patent office applies: novelty, inventive step (non-obviousness) and industrial application.
Done before filing, it tells you whether to file at all, and if you do, how to draft claims that sit clear of the closest art. That means fewer objections in examination and a patent that is harder to challenge after grant.
At a glance
- Also called
- Novelty search, prior art search
- Tests applied
- Novelty, inventive step, industrial application
- Sources
- Worldwide patents and non-patent literature
- Best time
- Before filing and before any public disclosure
- Turnaround
- Typically 4 to 6 days
- You receive
- Search report with an attorney opinion
Built for teams that file and the firms that advise them.
Whether you are deciding on one invention or screening a pipeline of disclosures, the search is scoped to the decision you need to make.
Corporate IP and R&D teams
Screen invention disclosures and prioritise filing budgets across the portfolio.
Law firms
White-label searches for your clients, delivered in your format and on your deadlines.
Startups
Evidence of novelty that supports filing decisions and investor due diligence.
Universities and research institutes
Check findings before publication or technology transfer.
Individual inventors
An honest view of patentability before you spend on drafting and filing.
IP consultants and agents
Reliable search support for client opinions and filing advice.
Every source an examiner uses, and more.
Examiners do not stop at patents, so neither do we. Each search combines classification, keyword, citation and semantic strategies across these sources.
Worldwide patent literature
Granted patents and published applications from the USPTO, EPO, WIPO, CNIPA, JPO, KIPO, IP India and other offices.
Scientific literature
Journals, conference proceedings, theses and preprints in your field.
Standards and technical disclosures
Standards documents, technical reports and industry publications.
Products and public disclosures
Product manuals, datasheets, websites and archived pages that may predate your filing.
Non-English prior art
Chinese, Japanese, Korean and European-language documents, reviewed with translation.
Layered search strategy
Classification codes, keywords, citations and semantic search combined, then checked by an analyst.
From invention disclosure to a clear answer.
A structured process means the search is aimed at your invention's inventive features, not just its keywords.
- 01
Understand the invention
Disclosure reviewed and key features agreed with you.
- 02
Search strategy
Classes, keywords and sources planned for your field.
- 03
Search
Patent and non-patent databases searched in layers.
- 04
Analysis
Closest art mapped feature by feature against your invention.
- 05
Opinion and report
Novelty and inventive step assessed by an attorney.
- 06
Discussion
Results walked through, with next steps for filing.
Most patentability searches are delivered within 4 to 6 days, depending on the complexity of the invention and the field. Urgent searches can be prioritised before a filing deadline or a planned disclosure.
Request a search quoteWhat you receive, and what it helps you decide.
Every report is written to be used: by your attorney when drafting, and by your business when deciding where to spend.
What the report includes
Clear findings, backed by evidence.
- Summary of the invention and its key features
- Search strategy, classes, keywords and databases used
- The closest prior art, ranked by relevance
- Feature-by-feature comparison against each reference
- Relevant passages and figures highlighted
- Opinion on novelty and inventive step
- Suggestions for claim scope and drafting
- Full list of references with links
What it helps you decide
Where to spend, and how to claim.
- Whether to file, refine or drop an invention
- Which features to build the claims around
- How broad the claims can reasonably be
- Where the invention needs more development
- Which countries are worth filing in
- Fewer objections and rounds of examination
- Claims that stand up to later challenges
- Evidence for investors and decision makers
Technical depth in the fields shaping what comes next.
Our attorneys and technical specialists work in the technologies where filing activity is growing fastest, so your invention is searched by people who understand the science.
Artificial intelligence & ML
Models, training methods and AI applicationsSemiconductors
Chip design, fabrication and packagingTelecom, 5G & IoT
Wireless standards, networks and connected devicesElectric vehicles & mobility
Batteries, charging and drive systemsClean energy & climate tech
Solar, storage, hydrogen and carbon captureRobotics & automation
Industrial robots, control and machine visionMedical devices & digital health
Devices, diagnostics and health softwareBiotechnology & genomics
Biologics, gene editing and sequencingPharmaceuticals
Formulations, processes and new usesFintech & digital payments
Payments, security and financial platformsConsumer electronics & wearables
Devices, sensors and user interfacesAdvanced materials & chemistry
Materials, polymers and chemical processesSearches that read like an examiner's work.
Our searchers are engineers and scientists who work alongside patent attorneys, so results are judged the way a patent office will judge them.
Subject-matter experts
Searchers with degrees in your field, from software to biotechnology.
Attorney-reviewed opinion
Findings assessed against the legal tests, not just keyword matches.
No geographic limits
Every major patent office and non-patent source, in any language.
Built for drafting
Reports your attorney can use directly to shape the claims.
Fast, predictable delivery
Most searches in 4 to 6 days, with urgent options.
Confidentiality
Invention details protected under strict non-disclosure protocols.
Questions about patentability searches.
Short answers to what inventors and IP teams ask us most.
Planning to file?
Search first. Tell us about the invention and we will reply with a quote within one business day.
Request a search quote01What is a patentability search?
A search of earlier patents and publications to judge whether an invention is new and inventive enough to be patented. It is carried out before filing, so the results can shape the decision to file and the claims.
02Is a patentability search the same as a novelty search?
Yes. The terms are used interchangeably, along with prior art search. A good patentability search also considers inventive step, not only exact novelty.
03How is it different from a freedom to operate search?
A patentability search asks whether you can get a patent. A freedom to operate search asks whether you can make and sell a product without infringing patents that are in force. Owning a patent does not give you freedom to operate.
04When should I order one?
Before you file and before any public disclosure, such as a publication, conference talk, product launch or investor pitch without an NDA.
05How long does it take?
Usually 4 to 6 days, depending on the complexity of the invention and the field. Urgent searches can be prioritised.
06What if the search finds close prior art?
The report shows which features are already known and which are not. Often the invention can still be protected by focusing the claims on what is new, or by developing it further before filing.
07Is my invention kept confidential?
Yes. Every search runs under strict confidentiality, and we are happy to sign an NDA before you share invention details.
Find the prior art before the examiner does.
Tell us about your invention. A search specialist will reply within one business day.