Materials Science & Engineering
This guide highlights MSE library resources for MSE students, faculty, and staff.
Patents
What are patents?
A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to the inventor, issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
There are three types of patents:
- Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof;
- Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture; and
- Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.
How do you search for patents and prior art?
You can search for both issued patents and patent applications on the USPTO's website.
- USPTO Patent Public Search Tool This link opens in a new windowProvides access to granted and published applications. Full document text may be searched on U.S. patents issued since 1971 and OCR text from 1920 to 1970. U. S. patent images from 1790 to the present may be retrieved for viewing or printing. Published applications can be searched from 2001-present. Newly granted patents are published every Tuesday.
Additionally, you can search Google Patents, but know that the information will not be as current as the USPTO's resources. Also, Google data mines searches, so be aware.
How can I find patents from foreign countries?
You can find patents from other countries by searching the patent office's websites.
Below are a few key patent offices:
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The Marriott Library is the USPTO Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) for Utah.
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Phone: 801-581-6273
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