A Patent Search is the first thing to do before applying for a Patent. The main purpose of a patent search is to determine how different an invention is from what already exists.

A Patent Search helps identify and compare a similar or a relevant patent or non-patent document to decide patentability of the proposed invention.

A patent search that is carried out with a purpose of filing a patent is called as patentability search. Patentability search is basically a search and comparison/analysis of existing patents to find out the closest existing thing to the proposed invention.

After applying for a patent, the patent office evaluates the proposed invention mainly on the grounds of the applicability, inventive step, novelty and industrial application. Only after satisfaction of all the criteria, the patent will be allowed. Therefore, a patent search enables the inventor to search similar patents and identify the most differentiating features of the proposed invention.