TechArchive

Original article date: January 1998

Today, for the first time, anyone with an Internet connection can access details of over three million patents. Derwent Information, the international provider of patent information has launched Patent Explorer. This innovative new product, developed in co-operation with Microsoft, is the first Internet service to provide both full text searching and facsimile images of documents from the US and European Patent Offices.

Patent Explorer offers users a unique point and click research tool. Even without specialist training, patents can be searched using over 40 different criteria, including company name, date, technology area, patent number and inventor name. Once the search is finished, the patents can be reviewed online, either as text or an exact image including diagrams, or downloaded to a file for local viewing and printing. Complete documents can be ordered online for delivery by fax or post.

Patents can provide a wealth of data for companies including technical and business information. With Patent Explorer, users can monitor the research activities of competitors, alert themselves to developing new technologies that may have an impact on business and also ensure that their own intellectual property rights are not being infringed. Within a week of publication by the relevant Patent Office, Derwent customers can search all European and US text and image data. As well as the latest patents, Patent Explorer can be used to trace the development of a particular technology as it holds all US patents dating back to 1974 and European patents from 1978 onwards.

For advanced users, Patent Explorer is packed with additional features. Customised search and display templates can be created and sophisticated Boolean operators can be used to tailor the search further. Individually tailored search profiles can be created and saved and set up to run on a weekly or monthly basis as a technology alerting service, with users prompted by e-mail when matching documents are loaded onto the database.

The first commercial release of Patent Explorer is aimed at the corporate user. Companies with large usage requirements can opt for an attractive discounted pre-payment arrangement. Alternatively, organisations with a lesser requirement can make use of a pay as you go option.

The service is open to visitors atwww.patentexplorer.com

©In Press PR Ltd1997

January 1998