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Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Welcome to Centennial College's Innovation and Entrepreneurship research guide. This guide will introduce you to the resources needed to successfully complete your entrepreneurial projects, papers, assignments.

Espacenet - Searching for Patents

Topic Example: Ground penetrating radar

Step 1: Describe

Structure, Function, and Use of item you are searching. Is it a process or product? How is the invention used? (Note: avoid broad terms like device, trademarks, and brands).

Structure: Antenna, Controller, iPhone, etc.
Function: 3D image of subsurface
Use: Soil and bedrock study, archaeological, crime, detection of mines
How is it used?: Uses radio waves to map underground features and objects

Step 2: Identify keywords 

that best represent the item you are searching.

  • mobile phone
  • Radio waves
  • soil
  • Controller
  • Image 
  • resolution

Step 3: search for patents in Espacenet using Smart Search.

Espacenet smart search
 

Step 4: View Results page and select a patent to discover further. 

Espacenet Search Results

Step 5: View the item further

read the Abstract, take note of the patent document number, and download original document to read more about the design.
 
Example patent in Espacenet
 

Patent Searching Basics

(MIT Tech TV, 2011)

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