Focused Search

What is Focused Search?

Benefits at a glance

Who can order a Focused Search?

Costs

How it works

Points to note!

Have you invented something? Focused Search gives you answers to the most pressing questions concerning your innovation. It provides you with the basis for making decisions and planning your next steps.

You may be keen to know whether your solution is genuinely new or
what patent literature is relevant to your solution.
Or you may be wondering about current solutions in your technical field and who your potential competitors are.

In your discussion with our experts you decide what questions should be studied by us.

You receive information for

• your research and development,
• analysis of your potential competitors,
• negotiations with business partners and
• the groundwork for a possible patent or utility model application.

• Personal consultation in the form of an initial discussion and follow-up discussion.
• Flexible questions.
• Simpler description of your idea (in comparison with the Standard Search pursuant to Section 57a of the Austrian Patent Act).
• Answers within six weeks.

Focused Search:

• Online order
• Discussion with our experts
• Search and analysis
• Report
• Discussion with our experts

Standard Search:

• Order
• Search
• Results

Anyone can. There are no restrictions.

The more complete the documentation you provide, the more precise our search will be. We need a description with technical features and technical drawings. Unlike for patent applications, claims are not necessary for the Focused Search.

In case of doubt, details of the required documents will be agreed with the experts during the initial discussion.

1. Order the Focused Search online
   After fully completing the online form, you can pay by eps online transfer or credit card. 
2. We call you
   For the initial discussion we will call you to establish the focus of the search. Generally a telephone conversation is sufficient, but in some cases it may make sense to have a meeting in person. You will receive a written summary of the discussion for accurate documentation of your order.
3. We perform the search
   We then focus on and carry out the search for you.
4. Results within six weeks
   You will receive the results six weeks after we received the order.
5. Follow-up discussion
   If anything is unclear, we can discuss and comment on the results.

• Our Focused Search concentrates on one technical aspect. Separate orders are required to address several different aspects.
  Example: Your technical item is a household robot. The technical aspects are the driving gears, the design of the gripper and the electronic control technology. We will only perform a search for a single one of those aspects per order, i.e. the aspect that you consider most important, such as the gripper.
• We deliver our results within 6 weeks. It may take a little longer if we need to ask you questions.
• To ensure that your innovations stay secret, the search result will be sent by secure electronic delivery and not by email.
• If a patent application is subsequently filed concerning the subject of the search, the search report may differ. One reason for such a deviation may be that new and relevant patent literature has arisen in the meantime because some time has passed between the Focused Search and the actual application.
• Focused Search is not the right product if you would like an expert opinion. For an expert opinion, please see here. We cannot respond to questions concerning patent validity or freedom to operate. And, as a patent office, naturally we cannot tell you how much your patent is worth. That depends on the business model and other factors and is not determined by technical aspects alone.
• The Austrian Patent Office is entitled to decline the Focused Search order, for example in cases where we cannot perform the search due to incomplete documentation or if we cannot reach agreement with the client during the initial discussion about the subject of the search.
• The date that the search refers to is solely the order date.

Order a Focused Search now