Before you file a patent.
Before you pitch to investors.
Before you build that prototype.

There’s one essential step every innovator should take: a Prior Art Search.

It might not sound exciting, but conducting a prior art search can save you time, money, and disappointment—and significantly improve your chances of securing a strong patent.

In this blog, we’ll explain what a prior art search is, why it matters, and how to do it right.

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🔍 What is Prior Art?

Prior art refers to any existing knowledge, invention, or publication that’s similar to or the same as your invention—and existed before your filing date.

This includes:
    •    Published patents or patent applications
    •    Research papers, technical articles
    •    Conference presentations
    •    Websites, blogs, product descriptions
    •    Marketed products and user manuals

If your invention is already disclosed in any form anywhere in the world, it may not be considered novel or patentable.

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🧠 Why Is Prior Art Search Important?

✅ 1. Confirms Novelty

The biggest reason patents get rejected? The idea already exists. A prior art search helps you determine if your invention is truly new.

✅ 2. Improves Patent Drafting

Understanding what’s already known helps you refine and differentiate your invention while drafting your patent.

✅ 3. Saves Time and Cost

Filing a patent without knowing the prior art can lead to rejection—resulting in wasted filing fees and lost time.

✅ 4. Informs Business Strategy

A prior art search can show you where your innovation fits in the current IP landscape—and how to position it better.

✅ 5. Protects You from Infringement

It helps ensure you don’t unknowingly develop or commercialize a product that infringes on someone else’s IP.

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🔬 When Should You Do a Prior Art Search?

Ideally, before:
    •    Filing a patent application
    •    Publishing your research
    •    Investing heavily in product development
    •    Sharing your idea with potential partners

Even if you’ve already started development, it’s not too late.

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🔧 How is a Prior Art Search Done?

A proper search involves checking:
    •    Patent databases (Indian Patent Office, Google Patents, Espacenet, WIPO Patentscope, USPTO, etc.)
    •    Scientific literature (IEEE, ScienceDirect, PubMed, etc.)
    •    Non-patent sources (Blogs, product listings, whitepapers)

Look for:
    •    Similar technical solutions
    •    Existing patents in your field
    •    Key inventors and assignees working in the area

💡 Tip: Use keywords, Boolean operators, and classification codes to narrow down results effectively.

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⚠️ Can You Do It Yourself?

While basic searches can be done online, a comprehensive and reliable prior art search is best done by IP professionals. They understand patent language, know where to search, and can interpret legal implications better.

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🤝 How IP EVER LLP Can Help

We offer detailed prior art and patentability searches for students, researchers, startups, and corporates. Our services include:
    •    Professional analysis of novelty and inventive step
    •    Technical and legal interpretation of prior art
    •    Customized reports with strategic recommendations
    •    Guidance on whether and how to proceed with filing

With our experience in 300+ patent filings and a 100% grant success rate in examined applications, we ensure you start your patent journey with clarity and confidence.

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📣 Final Thoughts

Skipping the prior art search is like starting a journey without a map.
Doing it right sets you on the best path forward.

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Ready to check if your idea is patent-worthy?

Let IP EVER LLP conduct a professional prior art search for your innovation.

📧 Email: drabganesh@gmail.com
📞 Call: 9842791925
🌐 Visit: www.goipever.com

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A strong patent starts with strong research. Let’s get it right—right from the start.