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Help: Search Language

This section of the site describes the language used by the search engine. This language is used for all fields except for the patent number field.

Table of Contents

  • Word Search

    Names:

    Names of inventors, agents, attorneys, owners and applicants (when they are proper names and not corporate names) are stored as "last name (and) first name".

    Other tips:

    Commas: Do not use commas or periods with your search words; they are ignored.

    Non-alphanumeric characters: "/" and "-" are kept in the text index. All other non alphanumeric characters are not indexed.

    Phrases: To search for a phrase of several words, use double quotes, for example, "electric transformer".

    Case Insensitivity: Searching is not case or accent sensitive.

  • Fuzzy Searches
    ~:
    Search words that are similar to but not exactly the same as the word searched.

    Syntax:

    • Word1~

    Examples:

    • roam~
    • roam, roams, foam, foams
  • Proximity Operator
    ~n:
    Search for two or more words in a phrase within n (number) of words of each other where n is an integer. A value of 1 is an ordinary phrase search

    Syntax:

    • "word1 word2 ..."~n

    For multiple word searches, the "operator" must be the same and the words searched must be within n words of each other

    Examples:

    • "pressure adhesive"~2
      • Pressure sensitive adhesive, pressure adhesive tape, ...
    • "conveyor belt"~2
      • Conveyor belt, belt for conveyor, ...
  • Logical Operators
    AND: Search for documents with all words present.
    OR: Search for documents with at least one of the words.
    NOT: Exclude documents with specified words.

    Syntax:

    • word1 OPERATOR word2
    • word1 OPERATOR word2 OPERATOR word3 ...

    Examples:

    • cpu OR processor
    • process AND implementation
    • (silane OR organopolysiloxane) AND silicium
    • computer NOT mainframe
  • Field Search Operator

    Field:

    Search for a word in a field of the patents index. Here is the list of fields:

    • title - the title of the invention
    • abstract - the abstract
    • owner - the owner names
    • inventor - the inventor names
    • applicant - the applicant names
    • claims - the claims
    • description - the full detailed description
    • ipc - International Patent Classification Code
    • pct-number - Patent Cooperation Treaty Filing Number
    • intl-number - International Publication Number

    Syntax:

    • fieldname:word
    • fieldname:(word1, word2, ...)

    Examples:

    • title:algorithm
    • abstract:(engine, drive)
  • Wildcards
    • * Specifies zero or more alphanumeric characters
    • ? Specifies one alphanumeric character

    Note: Wildcards will not work between quotation marks. All content between quotation marks is treated as a phrase.

    Syntax:

    • *word
    • word*
    • w*rd
    • ?word
    • word?
    • w?rd

    Examples:

    • fire* will match fire, fires, fireman, firefighter
    • ?am will match cam, ram, jam
  • More Examples
    • "golf ball"
      • Searches for the phrase "golf ball" in all fields of the patent index.
    • "golf ball" OR "tee"
      • Searches for patents with either the phrase "golf ball" or "tee".
    • title:"golf ball"
      • Searches for the phrase "golf ball" in the title of the patent.
    • title:(golf NOT ball)
      • Searches for patents with the word "golf" in the title, but not the word "ball".
    • title:"golf ball" AND inventor:juhas
      • Searches for patents with the phrase "golf ball" in the title and the name "juhas" in the inventor field.
    • inventor:"walker mark" AND title:"switch box"
      • Searches for patents where "Mark Walker" is the inventor and the phrase "switch box" appears in the title. When searching for names, use the last name followed by the first name.