The Importance of Using an Independent Third Party
In my previous article, closely related to this same topic, I stated that one of the most important steps for an Inventor is to get a Comprehensive Patent Search done. This step needs to occur at the very start of your journey. And finally, it needs to be done by an Independent Third Party.
We previously took a deeper look at what a Comprehensive Patent Search could be defined as in the case of inventors. You can read more about that here: https://www.www.searchquestpatents.com/2020/11/05/common-patent-search-mistakes-inventors-make-and-a-two-part-how-to-on-how-to-avoid-them/
This second article is going to focus on what I mean by an Independent Third Party. More importantly, who you should avoid hiring to complete your Comprehensive Patent Search.
Why a Patent Attorney is the Wrong Choice
One of the worst mistakes an Inventor can make is to hire a patent attorney to perform the patent search. At first glance, it seems like a patent attorney would be the best choice because, hello, they write patents. But let me explain why this is a conflict of interest for them and why you as the inventor deserve a better option.
If you were in the market to buy a new car, would you take the car salesman at his word that a used vehicle had never been in an accident? Would you blindly accept any report he offered you about the car’s history? Of course not. You would take the time to get a history on your own from an independent third party. After all, the car salesman is there to make a sale, not necessarily look out for your best interests.
The same idea applies to getting a patent search done. Patent attorneys have a vested interest in NOT finding anything that will prevent you from moving on to the next step. For them the next step is to write your patent. They make their money off of an hourly rate they get to charge whether your patent is ever issued or not.
Now we can all wish that any attorney in the business would have your best interests at heart. But realistically, most of us know that’s just not the case.
Criteria of an Independent Third Party
So what can you do to protect yourself and make sure a quality search is done? Find someone who will complete the search who meets two essential criteria. The first is that he/she can offer an unbiased opinion as they have no concern whether you can proceed with writing a patent or not. The second is to make sure he/she specializes in understanding the complexities of patents filed on an international scale.
Most Patent Attorneys Skip the International Search
That’s another thing about patent attorneys, most won’t even look at the international database that exists for worldwide patents. They will limit their search to what is already on the public domain and what has been issued through the USPTO database.
The Importance of a Flat Rate Charge when Choosing the Independent Third Party
Finally, one additional aspect you should look for in the Independent Third Party is to find one that charges a flat rate. Why is that important? Well anytime you deal with an hourly charge, you don’t get a lot of control over the final costs. You are pretty much at the mercy of whoever is doing the looking and how long they take. So if you are unlucky enough to find someone who isn’t very familiar with the databases, that hourly charge can get out of control pretty fast.
Professional patent researchers do exist. They have the skill and experience to charge a flat rate. Why? Because they have done enough searches to be familiar with the databases and the nuances of searching patents completed in different languages.
They don’t haggle over hourly rates because regardless of the complexity of the product, they are confident enough in their own abilities to know how long it will take them to perform the Comprehensive Patent Search.
SearchQuest Has It ALL
The answer you are looking for to obtain a Comprehensive Patent Search completed by an Independent Third Part is SearchQuest Patents.
Their motto is “We search the world”. That’s an important distinction that all Inventors need to be concerned with. So if you are an Inventor who is looking to get an idea from your mind to the marketplace, take the time to start the process off right. Do yourself a favor and trust the research professionals at SearchQuest Patents to provide you with the report you need to keep your train of success on the right track!
This article is sponsored by SearchQuest Patents, a company that works with Inventors to guarantee a Comprehensive Patent Search Report is generated for all submissions. The report is always generated at a flat rate cost. And, it is always completed by an unbiased professional researcher who specializes in understanding both the USPTO database and the WIPO database.
For more information, please check out the website at www.SearchQuestPatents.com