Linda,
It sounds as if there's a small misunderstanding here. You can certainly
search a US patent application number to find a US patent -- after the US
patent has issued. If the US application is the priority (first, home
country) application, the you can also search the US application number as a
priority number to retrieve foreign publications based on that priority
(equivalents, patent family members) even before the US patent has granted.
However, for the most part, US patents are indeed not available to the
public before they issue. Exceptions include such things as US
government-owned patent applications that are published for licensing before
the patents issue. I'm sure other patent information experts will provide
more details on this.
Nancy Lambert
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Bonzo [SMTP:lbonzo@kalsec.com]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2000 12:50 PM
To: piug-l@derwent.tecc.co.uk
Subject: US Patent Applications
I'm rather new at patent searching, but it's always been my
understanding
that US patent applications aren't publicly available, unlike
European
applications. I have a client who insists that there's a way to
search US
applications, but of course can't remember where or how. Can anyone
help
me with this?
I've been a list subscriber for a few months now, and I've learned
so
much. I appreciate your sharing your time and expertise with us
novices.
Linda
Linda Bonzo
lbonzo@kalsec.com
Library Research Specialist
Kalsec, Inc.
PO Box 50511
Kalamazoo, MI 49005
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