Web Search Stuff: Patents

Google has for some time had the ability to link to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database record for a patent when the search was the word "patent" followed by the patent number. (See here for instructions, see results here, and click on the link by the magnifying glass to link out to the USPTO record.)

Today, however, Google announced the availability of its beta Google Patent Search. This allows searching by much more than the patent number and relies on the same technology it uses for the Google Book Search to display the patent itself, complete with abstract, drawings, description, and claims. Drawing on dim and faraway lessons learned when a former job included workshops on how to search various patent databases, I recalled a couple of truly unusual patents to try to find. To test the system if you can't come up with an example of your own, try searching on the terms "hijacking syringe" (horrifying!) or "centrifugal birth" (a mental image of a breathless nurse running alongside with a catcher's mitt or a fishing net ALWAYS makes me laugh!) .

I should also take the time to remind folks that for most Central Florida libraries, the University of Central Florida Library is the closest patent depository library and they have some excellent search aids, tutorials, and tools for inventors linked on their government documents pages.

SUBJECTS: WEB SEARCH STUFF; REFERENCE RICHES