Methodology
Good patent research is reproducible: someone else should be able to see what was searched, why a reference was selected, and exactly where its relevant disclosure sits. That principle shapes every stage of our work.
We define the technical subject, the claim language or concept under investigation, the relevant date and the scope of the search. Ambiguities in claim terms are raised and agreed before searching starts.
We search patent literature using keyword, classification, citation and family-based strategies, and publicly accessible non-patent literature such as papers, standards, documentation and archived web material.
Candidates are screened for technical relevance and date, then the strongest are read in full. We note document identity, relevant dates, and how reliable the evidence of public availability is.
Technical observations are connected to individual claim elements or research questions, with pinpoint citations. We distinguish explicit disclosure from passages that require interpretation.
Before delivery we check that every cited link resolves to the intended document, that quoted passages match the source text, that identifiers and dates are correct, and that the report is internally consistent.
Findings are presented with their supporting evidence, the search record and an explicit statement of limitations: what was out of scope, what was not found, and where uncertainty remains.
Tools & information handling
We use software tooling — including search automation, retrieval systems and language-model-assisted analysis — to search, screen and organise large volumes of patent and technical literature. These tools help us cover more ground; they do not replace the source documents. Every finding in a report is tied to a specific document so it can be checked directly.
Information you send in an inquiry is used to respond to you and scope the work. It is not passed to AI services.
Where an engagement involves confidential material, we agree in writing, before you send anything, how it will be exchanged and stored and which tools, if any, may process it. If you require that no automated third-party processing takes place, tell us during scoping and we will quote on that basis.
We do not claim access to proprietary databases or coverage agreements. Each report lists the sources actually searched.
Review a sample report, or describe your question and we’ll propose a scope.