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Patent FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are Patents?
A patent is a legal document describing an invention or discovery which is "novel, nonobvious, and useful." It is a trade-off between the inventor's right to exclusively exploit an invention and the government's desire to have the information made public. The types of patents are as follows:
  • Utility Patents -- Mechanical, electrical, or chemical in nature. Legal rights granted to the inventor after June, 1995 expire 20 years after filing.
  • Plant Patents -- Cover new, distinct, asexually reproduced plants. Expire after five years.
  • Design Patents -- Protect new, original and ornamental designs. They last three and one-half, seven, or 14 years, depending on the fee paid.
Why Do People Search Patents?
Sometimes, to see if an invention has already been patented. Others may want to see what research is being done at a particular company, or by a particular inventor. Patents are a key resource for "state of the art" research.
How Do Copyrights and Trademarks Differ From Patents?

Copyright protects the writings of an author from being reproduced without permission. Literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works as well as computer software are covered. Copyrights are issued by the Register of Copyrights at the Library of Congress. Trademarks are words, names, or symbols applied to goods or services. They are issued by the Patent and Trademark Office for a period of 10 years and are renewable.

What Patent Resources Does the Library Have?

As an official Patent Depository Library, the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library receives copies of all newly-issued patents and other supplementary materials. In addition to these resources, you can find books on patenting and inventing under Dewey numbers beginning with 608.

US Patents on Microfilm
Utility Patents Jan. 1973 to 2000
Design Patents Jan. 1933 to 2000
Official Gazette 1933 to 2000
Plant Patents 1931 to 2000

US Patents on CD-ROM
Utility Patents 1790 to date
Design Patents 1790 to date
Official Gazette 2001 to date

Patent Searching Documentation
Manual of Classification latest
Index to the U.S. Patent Classification latest
Index to Patents 1790 to latest
Patentee/Assignee Index latest
Classification Definitions latest
Attorneys and Agents (Registered to Practice Before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) latest
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure latest
Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure latest

Will Reference Librarians Do the Search for Me?
A reference librarian cannot do the search for you or interpret patent law; however, reference librarians will be happy to show you how to perform a search. Remember that searching by subject for patents is a very slow process.
Can I Get a Photocopy of a Patent?
You can make copies from microfilm or CD-ROM. Remember too that copies are available at the US Patent and Trademark Office Website.
Can Patent Searching Be Done On a Computer?
The Patent and Trademark Office provides free use of a computerized search system called CASSIS, available at the Central Library. CASSIS is basically an automated way of doing a manual search. It eliminates having to look through numerous paper indexes. The user can search by patent number, titles of classifications, and by keywords in definitions, titles and patent abstracts. It does not contain the actual patents, which one then retrieves on microfilm or compact disk.
Do You Have Foreign Patents?
No, however, you can find many foreign patents online at espacenet, the online European Patent Office.
Do You Have Patent Forms?
Patent-related forms are available by calling 1-800-PTO-9199, or some can be downloaded at the US Patent and Trademark Forms Page.
Will I Need To Hire a Lawyer?
You can do a lot of preliminary searching on your own, but during the actual process of application, the Patent and Trademark Office recommends that you work through a patent lawyer. The PTO lists such lawyers under Attorneys and Agents Registered to Practice Before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Where Are the Patent and Trademark Office and Other Patent Depository Libraries (PTDLs)?
Look on the US Patent Office Website for Patent Depository Libraries.
How can I search for patents on the US Patent and Trademark website?
You can follow the basic 7-step process described by the USPTO.