Patent prior art search
Description
A patent prior art search is one of the most critical steps in the intellectual property lifecycle. Before investing in drafting or filing a patent, organizations need to confirm that the invention truly represents a novel contribution to the field.
Prior art can take many forms – from scientific papers, product manuals and online content to existing patents in other jurisdictions. Because relevant information may exist in multiple languages and databases, effective prior art searching requires advanced linguistic, technical and analytical expertise. At its best, a prior art search offers strategic insight beyond patentability alone. It supports competitive intelligence, helps avoid infringement and provides a foundation for stronger, more defensible patent applications.
Example use cases
- Patentability: Determine if an invention is truly novel before filing.
- Invalidity: Challenge the validity of an existing patent by uncovering earlier disclosures.
- FTO: Identify patents that could block commercialization via Freedom to operate (FTO search).
- Strategy: Prioritize R&D investment based on existing IP landscapes.
- Litigation: Strengthen legal arguments with verified prior art evidence.
Key benefits
RWS perspective
At RWS, prior art search is fundamental to our IP Research and Analytics offering. We combine advanced AI-driven search tools with human expertise from domain-specific patent analysts and linguists fluent in over 200 languages.
Our Human + Technology approach ensures that even non-English prior art – often the most critical – is accurately identified and assessed for relevance. Every search is tailored to the client’s industry, invention type and legal objective, ensuring reliable, actionable results. RWS delivers comprehensive search reports, source verification and expert analysis that help organizations file confidently, challenge competitors effectively and protect innovation globally.