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Source |
Created by |
Availability timeline |
Ease of use |
Format available |
Other features |
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Chinese Patent Database: |
State Intellectual Property Office (China) |
After publication. Updated weekly |
Hard |
Images. Browsed with Flash-based tool |
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European Patent Office (EPO) |
Easy |
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Patent family search |
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Later than EPO, USPTO, and WIPO |
Very easy |
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Handy translation and prior art search tools |
Several databases index Chinese patents:
This database is maintained by the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of China. Patents are available online after publication and the database is updated weekly. Unfortunately, this database is difficult to use and doesn't have the full text of patents are not available in English. Patents also can't be downloaded as PDFs.
Derwent Innovations Index facilitates rapid, precise patent searching and merges the value-added patent information from Derwent World Patents Index with the patent citation information from Derwent Patent Citation Index.
Espacenet is freely available online and contains European, US, PCT, Japanese and other worldwide patents. Chinese patents are available 3-4 months after publication. This database is very easy to use and allows you to download PDFs of patents. It's also very easy to find similar patents using the patent family.
Search by chemical structure or substructure, reaction, name, formula, etc., or by natural language query. Database use requires the creation of an individual user account for current U-M affiliates (follow this link to create an account). For general public walk-in use, contact the Chemistry Librarian.
Combined web access to Beilstein, Gmelin and Patent Chemistry Database.
Very easy to use. Covers worldwide patents but Chinese patents are available later than on Espacenet or the Chinese Patent Database (SIPO). Also doesn't provide comprehensive patent coverage.