Useful Links
Links to organisations such as Intellectual Property Offices
IP search and status sites
Patents
- Espacenet patent search – worldwide.espacenet.com
Use a keyword search or classification search to carry out a search – what are competitors filing patents for, is your invention novel? - European patent register – register.epo.org
Check for status information on European patent applications and view the public files. - UK patent office journal – www.ipo.gov.uk/p-pj
Search for recently filed UK patent applications which have not yet published. Titles only are published shortly after filing, but if you know someone has filed a patent application, you can check that and confirm the date. - IPSUM – www.ipo.gov.uk/p-ipsum.htm
This is the UK IPO’s patent status information service and public file. You can check the status (and file contents) of any published UK patent application or granted UK patent. - PAIR – portal.uspto.gov/pair/PublicPair
This is the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patent status information site and public file where you can search status information on any published US patent application or granted US patent.
Trade Marks
- TMView – www.tmdn.org/tmview/welcome
TMView allows you to search for trade marks or trade mark owners in multiple territories, including the EU, US, Canada, Japan and Australia. - UK trade mark search – www.gov.uk/search-for-trademark
You can search for trade marks covering the UK here and also a trade mark with a known number or by owner. - TMclass – tmclass.tmdn.org/ec2/
This is EUIPO classification site where you can search for which class your goods and services may best be covered and help create a specification of goods and services using acceptable terms. - USPTO TM ID Manual – tmidm.uspto.gov/id-master-list-public.html
This is the USPTO site for checking for acceptable goods and services for trade marks at the US patent and trade mark office
Designs
- DesignView – www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome
You can search for design registrations in the EU, UK and several other participating offices via this website.
IP offices
Offices
- UKIPO – www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office
UK Intellectual Property Office. - EPO – www.epo.org/index.html
European Patent Office. - EUIPO – euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en
The EU Intellectual Property Office, for EU trade mark and Design matters (formerly called OHIM). - WIPO – www.wipo.int/portal/en/index.html
Word Intellectual Property Office – useful resource for the IP and formal requirements for multiple territories throughout the world. - US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) – www.uspto.gov/
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office – www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/Home
- Japan Intellectual Property Office – www.jpo.go.jp
- State Intellectual Property Office of China – english.sipo.gov.cn
- Australian IP Office – www.ipaustralia.gov.au