FOLIO Ontology

All actions associated with determining the approximate scope of patent protection that may be available for a client's invention, including definition of the scope and field of the search, searching, analysis of search results, and reporting to client. Also known as a "novelty" or "prior art" search, the field of a patentability search is often similar to that of a state-of-the-art search. However, patentability searches are typically conducted after any market research or conceptual engineering has been completed so that the scope of the investigation is described by at least an informal structural or functional description of an invention. Often a patentability search will also locate expired and/or lapsed patents disclosing technology that may be freely copied in order to improve the invention. Thus, a patentability search may include various aspects of a state-of-the-art search. Work of outside vendors in conducting searches or otherwise assisting the investigation should be an expense under E100.