* Patent Search – Stuff You Cannot Find

This Is Our “17 Seconds” Newsletter #119: 17 Seconds = Useful Info Quickly.

A patent search cannot find provisional patent applications (which are not published), design patent applications (which are not published), utility patent applications with a filing date less than 18 months old (since utility patent applications are published 18 months from their oldest priority date), and any patent application under a nonpublication request. So a patent search cannot find everything. But you can find what you can find, and you should find what you can find. It is good and proper due diligence for startups to do a solid patent search. Like the bear that went over the mountain, you should see what you can see.


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