INTRODUCTION
In 1992, John T. Butler and N. J. Thompson published two most excellent articles: "Electronic Resources for Patent Searching" and "Intellectual Property Materials Online/CD ROM: What and Where." These articles provided the most comprehensive guide to what resources were available for electronically searching patent information at that time.
In 1995, Michael Gallagher and Michael Persson, two students of Franklin Pierce Law Center, updated the articles to include new sources that were not available at the time of their writings.
This paper will attempt to update the 1995 version to include more new sources that were not available at the time of their revising.
During the process, I have tried to contact the following producers/vendors:
BROSIS
CAS
CONTROL DATA
CORPORAT INTELLIGENT
DERWENT
DIALOG
IFI
IMSMARQ
INPI (Millennium Information Service)
INTELLIGENETICS
JAPIO
LEXIS
MICROPATENT
QL
QUESTEL/ ORBIT
STN
USPTO
WESTLAW
WIPO
among which, DATA-STAR and INTELLIGENETICS were out of business. CONTROL DATA, IMSMARQ, USPTO could not be access to owing to the wrong contacting numbers. API EnCOMPASS, CAS/STN, DERWENT, EPO, IFI, INPI (Millennium Information Service), QUESTEL/ORBIT and WEST sent feedback information that is the basis for my updating. BIOSIS, CORPORAT INTELLIGENT, QL would or did contact Prof. Jon Cavicchi . No feedback from DIALOG, WIPO, LEXIS, MICROPATENT.
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF ONLINE PATENT DATABASES AS OF JULY 1998
| Alphabetical Listing Of Online Patent Databases as of July 1998 | ||||
| TOPIC | DESCRIPTION | COVERAGE | SOURCE | DATABANK / FILE NAMES |
| BIOTECHNOLOGY ABSTRACTS | Covers worldwide literature on all aspects of biotechnology. Sources include journals, patents, and conference contributions. | 1982 - Date Updated biweekly | Derwent Information | DIALOG: File 357 STN: BIOTECHDS*, BIOTECHABS WESTLAW: BIOTECH-ABS ORBIT: BIOT DATASTAR: DWBA |
| CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS | Abstracts of all areas of chemistry, biochemistry, & chemical engineering. Patents are one source of information for the file. | CA: coverage 1967 - Date CAOLD: 1957 - 1967. CAplus: Coverage of 1,300 core chemical journals. | Chemical Abstracts Service | DIALOG: Files 399, 308-313 STN: CA, CAOLD, CAplus ORBIT: CASM, CASA, CASB QUESTEL: CAS |
| CAS CHEMICAL REGISTRY | Chemical structure & dictionary database of uniquely identified substances. Subfile has nucleic & amino acids & peptides from patents, literature & Genebank. | 1957 - Date Updated Weekly | Chemical Abstracts Service | STN: REGISTRY |
| CLAIMS, U.S. PATENT FILES | Bibliographic data, abstract, &/or claims for U.S. chem., elect., mech., design and plant patents. | Chemical 1950 - Date; Electrical & Mechanical 1963 - Date; Design & Plant 1976 - Date; Reloaded annually with current U.S. Classificaiton; Updated Weekly | IFI / PLENUM | DIALOG: Files 23-25, 125, 340 STN: IFIPAT ORBIT: CLMS QUESTEL: IFIPAT WESTLAW: USPA |
| CLAIMS, COMPOUND REGISTRY | Chemical compounds in dictionary format. Searchable by chemical fragment. Purpose of file is to promote cross file searching in IFIUDB and IFICDB | Over 17,000 compounds. Updated quarterly. Printed Pubs : IFI Compound Term Vocabulary & Fragment Term Vocabulary | IFI / PLENUM | DIALOG: File 242 STN: IFIREF ORBIT: CLMR QUESTEL: N/A |
| CLAIMS, UNITERM & COMPREHENSIVE FILES | U.S chemical patents with key word indexing (Uniterm file) & with expanded fragment links and roles (Comprehensive file) | 1950 - Date Updated Weekly Indexing updated monthly Reload annually with current U.S. Classification | IFI / PLENUM | DIALOG: Files 341 (Uniterm), 942* (Comprehen.) STN: IFIUDB, IFICDB* ORBIT: CLMU, CLMC* QUESTEL: IFIUDB |
| CLAIMS, REFERENCE FILE & CLAIMS CLASSIFICATION | Dictionary index of U.S. P.T.O. Manual of Classification & IFI Vocabulary / Theasurus Uniterm Authority Lists | Current U.S. Classification updated twice a year Vocabularies updated Quarterly | IFI / PLENUM | DIALOG: File 124 STN: IFIREF ORBIT: CPCL QUESTEL: N/A WESTLAW: CLAIMSREF |
| CLAIMS, REASSINGNMENT & REEXAMINATION FILE | U.S. Reassignments U.S. Post-grant legal status actions: -Rexamination requests -Rexamination results -Expirations & Reinstatements -Extensions -Disclaimer/Dedications -Adverse decisions in interfereence -Reissue requests -Certificate of correction notices | Actions recorded 1980 - Date, Reassignments updated bimonthly, All other actions updated weekly. | IFI / PLENUM | DIALOG: File 123 STN; IFIRXA ORBIT: CRXX QUESTEL: N/A WESTLAW: R & R |
| CLAIMS, CITATION / FILES | Patents cited in subsequent patents | Pat. issued 1790 - 1947 (References in patents issued from 1947 - Date) Pat. issued 1947 - 1970 Pat. issued 1970 - Date Updated Quarterly | IFI / PLENUM | DIALOG: File 220-222 STN: N/A ORBIT: N/A QUESTEL: N/A |
| CHINESE PATENT ABSTRACTS | Abstracts of Chinese patents | April 1985 - Date Updated Monthly | Chinese Patent Office c/o EPO | DIALOG: File 344 STN: N/A ORBIT: CPAT QUESTEL: N/A WESTLAW: CHNPATABS |
| DERWENT JOURNAL OF SYNTHETIC METHODS (DJSM) | Provides key references to novel synthetic methods from worldwide patent and scientific literature. | ORBIT 1942 - Date, Updated monthly STN 1975 - Date Updated quarterly | Derwent Information | ORBIT: CRDS STN: DJSM, DJSMONLINE |
| DERWENT WORLD PATENTS INDEX | Comprehensive patent database containing over 8 million inventoins in all technologies. Bibliographic info., abstracts and indexing from 40 countries, translated from over 30 languages into English. Includes the US, EPO, WIPO and Japan. Features Derwent's proprietary classification system. | Coverage varies by country and subject: Pharma 1963 - Date, Ag. Chem 1965 - Date, Plastics 1966 - Date, All Chem 1970 - Date, Elec & Mech Eng 1974 - Date. | Derwent Information | DIALOG: File 351, 352 STN: WPIDS, WPINDEX QUESTEL: WPIL ORBIT: WPI, WPPIL, WPAT WESTLAW: WPI, WPIL |
| DERWENT WORLD PATENTS INDEX / API MERGED | Petroleum process, product and industry patents. APIPAT file merged with Derwent World Patents Index | WPIA 1963 - 1980 WPLA 1981 - Date WPAM 1963 - Date | Derwent Information / American Petroleum Institute | ORBIT: WPIA, WPLA, WPAM |
| DESIGNS & MODELS INTERNAIONAL (DMI) | DMI provides bibliographic, administrative and legal information on internaional drawings and models. All valid international drawings and models published in the "Bulletin des Dessins et Modeles Internationaux" (BDMI) | 1979 - Date Updated monthly | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | QUESTEL: DMI |
| DRUG PATENTS INTERNATIONAL | Evaluated international drug patents, bibliographic data, CAS registry numbers, brand names, lab codes & therapeutic uses. No abstracts. | Updated Monthly | IMSWorld Pubs. Ltd. | DIALOG: File 447 STN: N/A ORBIT: DPIN QUESTEL: N/A WESTLAW: IMSPI |
| EPO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM | Full text of EPO Classificaiton scheme | Updated Monthly | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | QUESTEL: ECLATX |
| EPO DOCUMENTATION FILE (PATENT FAMILIES) | Published applications & issued patents from EP countries, PCT, OAPI & 18 industrialized countries. | Updated Monthly French Language | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | QUESTEL: EDOC |
| EUROPEAN JURISPRUDENCE | The entire European jurisprudence, published or not, in which a patent is involved. | Decision for European patents from 1978 - Date; Law and regulations from 1973 - Date. | Luk Information Service GmbH | ORBIT: N/A QUESTEL: JUREP |
| EUROPEAN (EPO) & FRENCH JURISPRUDENCE | Published or unpublished, French or European (EPO) jurisprudence concerning French patents and trademarks. | Patents from 1923 - Date. | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | ORBIT: N/A QUESTEL: JURINPI |
| EUROPEAN PATENTS EXTRACTS (from the EPO) | Extracts from patent applications and granted patents published by the EPO. | 1978 - Date; For patents published since mid-1990, the main claim is provided in German; For applications published since 1992, the main claim is provided in English, French or German depanding upon origination. | Wila Verlag Bertelsmann Informations Service | STN: PATOSEP |
| EUROPEAN PATENTS BIBLIO/1ST CLAIM | Bibliographic, admin., legal info. and images on all EP published applications & issued patents 1st claim of issued pat. | June 1978 - Date Updated weekly English, French & German | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | QUESTEL: EPAT ORBIT: EPAT |
| EUROPEAN PATENTS FULL TEXT | Contains full text of EPO patents and the international classifications. | 1978- Date | European Patent Office (EPO) | DIALOG: File 348 WESTLAW: PATENTS-EURO |
| EUROPEAN PATNETS FULL TEXT | Searchable bibliographic info., abstracts and full text of European patent applications and granted European patents published by EPO. For applcaiotn, published abstract, all claims and the complete description in English, German, or French selected images available. For granted patents, claims available in three languages. | 1996 - date Updated weekly | Wila Verlag | STN: EUROPATFULL |
| FRENCH PATENTS BIBLIO | All French applications & issued patents Bibliographic, administrative, legal info. & images. | 1966 - Date (1961-Date for BSM pat.) Updated weekly In French with English language description. | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | QUESTEL: FPAT (exclusive) |
| GERMAN JURISPRUDENCE | All German jurisprudence, in which a patent or trademark is involved. | Decisions for Bundesgerichtshof and Bundespatentgericht from 1961 - Date. | Luk Information Service GmbH | ORBIT: N/A QUESTEL: JURGE |
| GERMAN PATENTS BIBLIO/MAIN CLAIM (from the Geman Patent Office) | Bibliographic informaiton and the full text of the main claim fully searchable | Patent applications and examined patent applications since 1968; granted patents since 1980; and utility models since 1983. Language - German | Wila Verlag Bertelsmann Informations Service | STN: PATOSDE |
| GERMAN PATENTS BIBLIO/ABSTRACT (from the former German Democratic Republic until 10/2/90 and the German Patent Office from 10/3/90) | Bibliographic informaiton and abstracts of patent publications. | 1983 - Date Updated Weekly Language - German | Deutaches Patentamt | STN: PATDD |
| GERMAN PATENTS FULL TEXT (from the EPO & WIPO) | German patent applications, scientific and technological patents and utility models. Bibliographic information is searchable. | 1968 - Date Updated Weekly Language - German | Deutaches Patentamt | STN: PATDPA |
| GERMAN PATENT GRAPHICS (from the German Patent Office) | German patent drawings, chemical structures, and mathematical equations | 1983 - Date Updated Weekly Language - German | Deutaches Patentamt | STN: PATDPA |
| GENESEQ | Nucleic acid & amino acid sequences and their claimed applications, as disclosed in patents from 40 patent-issuing authorities, including US, EPO, WIPO and Japan. | 1981 - Date Updated Bi-weekly | Derwent Information/Oxford Molecular | STN: DGENE IN-HOUSE: GENESEQ |
| INPADOC (INternational PAtent DOcumentation Center) | Bibliographic information from 57 pat. offices including the EPO and WIPO. DIALOG & STN file also contain legal status. | 1968 - Date. Approx. 23 million records. Updated Weekly. | European Patent Office formerly International Patent Documentation Center (INPADOC) | DIALOG: File 345 STN: INPADOC ORBIT: INPD QUESTEL: N/A WESTLAW: INPADOC JAPIO: PATOLIS |
| INPANEW | Last 6 - 10 weeks of INPADOC records | Approx. 100,000 to 200,000 records. Updated Weekly. | European Patent Office formerly International Patent Documentation Center (INPADOC) | DIALOG: Part of File 345 STN: INPAMONITOR ORBIT: INPN QUESTEL: N/A |
| INTERNATIONAL PATENT CLASSIFICATION | 5th ed. of International Patent Classification. Effective 1/1/90 for 5 yrs. | Updated every 5 years French Language | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | QUESTEL: CIB (exclusive) |
| INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG PATENTS FAST ALERT | Monthly evaluations of significant Pharmaceutical, Biotech, and Agrochemical Patents | 1990 - Last six weeks | Current Drugs Ltd. | ORBIT: CPFA QUESTEL: N/A |
| INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG PATENTS FAST ALERT NEW | Alert database of Pharmaceutical, Biotech and Agrochemical patents | Last six weeks - Date | Current Drugs Ltd. | ORBIT: CPFN QUESTEL: N/A |
| ITALIAN PATENTS FULL TEXT | All Italian patent applications and utility and design model applications filed with both the Italian Patent Office and 95 local Chambers of Commerce | 1983 - Date | Justinfo Ltd. | QUESTEL: ITALPA (exclusive) |
| JAPIO (Japan Patent Information Organization Database) | English translations of unexamined published applicaiotns and abstracts (Kokai Tokkyo Koho) | 1976 - Date Updated monthly about a 6 month lag time. | Japan Patent Informaiton Organization (JAPIO) | DIALOG: File 347 STN: JAPIO ORBIT: JPAT QUESTEL; JAPIO WESTLAW: JAPIO |
| LEGAL STATUS | Documents action taken by patent offices during the prosecution of a patent application and post issuance activities of patent. | Countries: AT, CH, DE, DK, EP, FR, GB, HU, NI, BE, US & WO Coverage varies by country but late 1960's for most countries '83 to date for U.S. | European Patent Office formerly International Patent Documentation Center (INPEDOC) | DIALOG: Part of File 345 STN: Part of INPOADOC ORBIT; LGST QUESTEL: N/A |
| LIT ALERT | Database of all litigation regarding US patents and trademarks, as reported to the USPTO by the 94 US District Courts. Searchable by 17 fields, including patent or trademark number, docket number, and final jugement. | 1973 - Date Updated Weekly | Derwent Information | ORBIT: LITA DIALOG: File 670 WESTLAW: LitAlert |
| MERGED MARKUSH SERVICE (MMS) | Unique structural database. Merged file of MPHARM and DWPIM. | 1985 - Date Updated weekly | Derwent Information / INPI | QUESTEL: MMS |
| MARKUSH STRUCTURES in PATENTS | Search Markush structures for patent records. Linked to bibliographic info in World Patents Index (Derwent) and PHARMSEARCH. | 1985 - Date Updated Biweekly | Chemical Abstracts Service | QUESTEL: MMS |
| PAPER & PULP PATENTS | Covers international patent and journal literature on paper and pulp technology and related topics. | 1967 - Date | Institute of Paper and Science Technology | DIALOG: 240, 840 STN: PAPERCHEM*, PAPERCHEM2 WESTLAW: PAPERCHEM |
| PATENTS CITATION INDEX | Contains citation information from 16 countries including the U.S., EPO, and WIPO. | 1973- Date Updated weekly | Derwent Information | DIALOG: File 342 STN: DPCI |
| PATENT STATUS FILE | Comprehensive alert to post-issue actions affecting U.S. patents | 1973 - Date Updated weekly | Derwent Information | ORBIT: PAST |
| PATDATA | U.S. bibliographic citations & abstracts | 1975 - Date Updated Weekly | United States Patent & Trademark Office | BRS: PATS |
| PETROLEUM & PETROCHEMICAL PATENTS | Covers worldwide patents relating to the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries, including those on alternative energy sources and environmental effects of energy. | Worldwide from 1964 on. Updated weekly. Includes API indexing and Derwent abstracts. | API EnCompass, American Petroleum Institute | DIALOG: Files 353, 953* STN: APIPAT*, APIPAT2 ORBIT: N/A QUESTEL: N/A |
| PETROLEUM ABSTRACTS | Internationl patents & tech. literature on oil & gas exploration, development & production. ORBIT subfile "ERTH" has environmental patents. | 1965 - Date Updated Weekly DIALOG only has titles & bibliographic data from 1981. ORBIT includes abstracts. | Petroleum Abstracts The Univ. of Tulsa | DIALOG: File 987* ORBIT: TULS* QUESTEL: N/A |
| PETROLEUM ABSTRACTS | Bibliogrqaphic citations to literature on the oil and gas exploration and production industry, including geology, geochemistry, geophysics, drilling well logging, etc.. Searchable bibliographic info., indexing terms, chemical names, and CAS Registry Numbers. | 1965 - Date Updated Weekly TULSA contains abstracts not available in TULSA2. | Petroleum Abstracts The Univ. of Tulsa | STN: TULSA*, TULSA2 |
| PCT (Patent Convention Treaty) APPLICATIONS | PCT & EURO-PCT appl. published in PCT GAZETTE | 1978 - Date Updated every 15 days English & French titles & abstracts for pat. after 1982 | INPI & OMPI | QUESTEL: PCTPAT ORBIT: PCTPAT |
| PCT (Patent Convention Treaty) APPLICATIONS BIBLIO/ABSTRACT | Contains bibliographic informaiton and abstracts of internaitonal applications published by WIPO | 1983 - Date | Wila Verlag | STN: PATOSWO |
| PHARMACEUTICAL PATENTS BIBLIO/ABSTRACT | EPO, French & U.S. pharm. patents. Bibliographic data, abstracts & claimed effects, Structures in Markush DARC | 1985 - Date Updated twice monthly English & French Language | Institut National de la Propriete Industrielle (INPI) | ORBIT: PHARM QUESTEL: PHARM |
| PLASTICS, RUBBER, ADHESIVES, & COMPOSITE PATENTS | Patent documents related to the rubber and plastics industries published by the EPO, USPTO, and WIPO. | 1994 - Date | RAPRA Technology Limited | STN: RAPRA ORBIT: RAPR QUESTEL: N/A |
| U.S. CLASSIFICATION | U.S. classification codes; cross-reference class. & unofficial class. A patent issued in any year will be classified under the current classification system. | Patents issued from 1798- Date Updated Biannually | Derwent Information | ORBIT: USCLASS QUESTEL: N/A |
| U.S. PATENTS | Each record contains bibliography, complete front page and full claim information. Citation searches possible. | USPA 1982 - Date USPB 1971 - 1981 USPM 1971 - Date | Derwent Information | ORBIT: USPA, USPB, USPM |
| U. S. PATENTS FULL TEXT | Contains full text of U.S. patents and the current classifications. | All patents from 1974 - Date; Partial coverage of selected technologies from 1971 - 1973. | United States Patent & Trademark Office | DIALOG: 651, 652, 653, 654 STN: USPATFULL WESTLAW: PATENTS-US, PATENTS-90, PATENTS-80, PATENTS-70 |
| U.S. PATENTS FULL TEXT on PatIntelligence | Full text of over 2-million patents (not just front pages). View on-screen and print any of the 6-million patents (back to the year 1790) through Windows based application. | Searchable text from 1950, patent images from 1790. | United States Patent & Trademark Office | CORPORATE INTELLIGENCE: PatIntelligence |
| U.S. PATENTS FULL TEXT on LEXIS | Comtains full text of U.S. patents and the current classifications. | Utility patents from 1/7/75; Design patents from 12/7/76; Plant patents from 12/14/76. | Mead Data Central | LEXIS: ALL, UTIL, DESIGN, PLANT |
| U.S. PATENT CASE LAW | Decisions, orders and opinions from federal and state courts, administrative agencies, and other tribunals and authorities that relate to patents, copyrights, and trademarks. | Westlaw: 1946 - Date for all current databases, prior to 1946 will vary. Lexis: U.S. Supreme Court from 1790, U.S. Court of Appeals from 1789, CACF from 1982, CCPA from 1952 to 1982, District Court from 1789, etc. | WESTLAW: USPQ, FIP-CS, FIP-SCT, FIP-CTA, FIP-DCT, FIP-FEDCL; Pre-1946: FIP-CS-OLD, FIP-SCT-OLD, FIP-CTA-OLD, FIP-DCT-OLD, FIP-FEDCL-OLD. LEXIS: FEDCTS, CACF, CCPA | |
| U.S. PATENT & TRADEMARK OFFICE DECISIONS | Administrative decisions released by the USPTO that have been prepared by the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks or the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. | Westlaw: 1987 - Date Lexis: 1981 - Date | WESTLAW: FIP-PTO LEXIS: PTO, PATAPP, COMMR | |
| WORLD PATENTS INDEX MARKUSH | A structure-searchable version of the World Patents Index by Derwent focused on the precise retrieval of pharmaceutical, agricultural chemical and general chemical patents from 40 patent- issuing authorities. | Updated Weekly | Derwent Information | QUESTEL: MMS |
| Bold name column designates updates made in July 1998. | ||||
| * denotes databases for subscribers only. | ||||
| N/A = Not available | ||||
| Databases updated using feedbacks from vendors. | ||||