The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently launched the Global Patent Search Network, a free service that will eventually provide translations of patents granted in multiple countries and languages. The agency hopes to make patent research easier and more comprehensive with this move.
The Global Patent Search Network recently came online and immediately began providing Chinese patent documentation for search and retrieval - both full-text Chinese patents and English machine translations. According to PTO Acting Director Teresa Stanek Rea, users can search documents including published applications, granted patents and utility modes from 2008 to 2011 in this collection, which will periodically be updated with more current data.
The PTO says the new search tool offers an additional source of foreign patent collections to the public and to the agency's patent examiners. The immediate availability of English machine translations, even though imperfect and sometimes awkward, will allow for quick analysis of the relevancy of the prior art while reducing the need for costly human translations.
The PTO is soliciting suggestions from the public to help it identify future enhancements to the Global Patent Search Network. Ideas should be sent to GPSN@uspto.gov.
