Issue link: https://htpgraphics.uberflip.com/i/116727
Intellectual Property Section 1 Q: How do I know if my invention is already in the public domain? A: A previous disclosure can include anything from a published patent, document, information contained in a book, article, journal, TV documentary, demonstration or even just common practice. Whilst you cannot expect to find everything, a good starting point is to see if there are any existing patents which relate to your invention. It is easier than ever to find patent information as the format of patents has become increasingly standardised and there are many user-friendly websites that you can search. Intellectual Property Section 1 If the patent/patent application of interest is published in a foreign language it is possible to check via the Internet or other patent databases to see if an equivalent document has been published in English in another country (such as the UK, Europe, PCT,USA, Canada or Australia for example) – this is often called "patent equivalent" searching. If the patent/patent application of interest has only been published in a foreign language, you can either get a machine translation of the text into English, a formal translation of the relevant part of the patent or obtain an English abstract of the patent. It is a good idea to carry out a patent search before you start a project in order to try and ensure that your idea has not been disclosed in the general or patent literature. If you are not experienced in patent searching you can obtain advice and assistance from the range of Patent Libraries located throughout the United Kingdom. There is also a wealth of information on-line. Both the UK Intellectual Property Office and the US Patent and Trade Mark Office have on-line services (www.ipo.gov.uk and www.uspto.gov). You can also connect directly to esp@cenet which gives access to details of many patents worldwide (http://gb.espacenet.com). Alternatively there are firms and consultants based throughout the UK which specialise in patent searching and related services. Most firms of Patent Agents will offer 30-60 minutes of consultation free of charge. If you think you need this help, contact your IP commercialisation organisation for further help. 6