Oxford Dictionary defines a patent as "a government authority or license conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention."  The Unites States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) adds an additional restriction in that others cannot import the invention.  The USPTO delineates between the three different types of patents:

• Utility patent: ". . . a new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new useful improvement"
• Design patent: ". . . a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture"
• Plant patent:  " . . . an invented or discovered and asexually reproduced distinct and new variety of plant"

Whether you are trying to find a specific patent, reviewing patent applications for possible ideas, or conducting a exhaustive prior art search, utilize a combination of three different search strategies:

• Text searching
• Patent classification search
• Patent citation searching

The websites below help to identify the relevant classification codes using the Cooperative Patent Classification:

• USPTO Classification Resources:  Search by symbol or text
• CPC Training:  View webinars created jointly by the USPTO and European Patent Office (EPO)

The library subscribes to Innovation Q Plus to search patents worldwide.  You can also use Innovation Q Plus to search non-patent literature.  Innovation Q Plus utilizes IP authentification and only allows 10 simultaneous users.  To access Innovation Q Plus off-campus, download and connect to VPN.