Skip to Main Content

Research Guides

PSL4050: Collaboration and Commercialization in Physiology

Health-focused library resources and support for market research and business planning

Patent and IP resources @ UTL

On this page you will find links to patent and trademark offices, search tips, classifications, citation information, statistics, books, and tutorials on patent searching.

 

The patent-related information on this page is from the Engineering and Computer Science Library's online guide Introduction to Patents & Patent Searching.

 

If you have questions about patent searching, please contact the Engineering and Computer Science Library or email Entrepreneurship Librarian Carey Toane at carey.toane [at] utoronto.ca

Patent and Trademark Offices

Free Online Patent Databases

Search Tips

To be most effective in your search for patents you must determine how your invention works, NOT how you will use your invention.

  • Start by making a list of words that describe your idea (including synonyms)
  • Record class/subclass of any related terms
  • Ask yourself:
    • What does the invention do?
    • What is the end result/anything unique/special/ unexpected? 
    • What is it made of/method or material of fabrication? 
    • What is it used for? 
  • Keep track of useful and non-useful patents (by patent number) to avoid duplication of efforts

Patent Classification

Patent Classification is a system of codes designed to organize and index the technical content of patents.

Tutorials

The following are a selection of useful free web resources to help you with your patent searching.

Academic library guides

Patent office guides and tutorials

Other search advice

Citing Patents

Books on Patent Searching