A patent search is a check through the patent database of one or more patent offices to find evidence of prior art in respect of an invention, or to look for activity in a particular technical area or by specific competitors, e.g. as part of a patent watch. Patent searches are often carried out before attempting to file an invention, to reduce the chance of an application being turned down because it was not novel. Patent searches are also carried out by the patent examiners themselves as part of the examination process. Patent searching can usually be done online now, and is a routine but time consuming task, usually conducted by a patent attorney, or by a specialist firm of patent searchers.

With more than 14 years of global patent research expertise, FOIPA provides you with comprehensive search results from the industry’s leading patent and non-patent sources enabling you to better determine your market position. Pursue innovations that impact the world. With the most trusted patent content from around the globe. Discovering the future of technology takes knowledge and insight. We have that. Our unrivalled content, analysis tools and patent services help you identify opportunities for innovation, and guide you from development to launch. So you can find your way in a crowded IP landscape, and leap into the future with confidence. We offer the most comprehensive patent, trademark, copyright and trade-secret content and treatises for Kenya and abroad, along with cases, court documents and filings, judge and examiner profiles and filing rules. IP content on Westlaw is always accurate, current and complete. We use Derwent World Patents Index to gain insights you might otherwise miss and make more confident IP decisions by searching the authoritative and accurate patent data in Derwent World Patents Index. (DWPI). DWPI is a comprehensive database of enhanced patent documents.

Infringement searches are performed to know about any products or patents are infringing with your non-terminated patented invention. Freedom to Operate analyze helps to launch the product without violating third party IP rights. Invalidation searches conducted to assess if a patent can be invalidated by patents, products and other research articles ,where such documents were not found at the prior art search performed at the patent office. FOIPA can help you in:

• Infringement Analysis
• Invalidation Searches
• Freedom to Operate Analysis
• Patentability Analysis