Patent Searching

 

Patent searching can help a UK business determine whether an invention is new and protectable before investing in development or filing a patent. It also helps avoid infringing existing patents and supports informed decision-making for innovation and product strategy.
Patent searching is the systematic process of querying patent databases to identify existing patents and patent applications relevant to a specific invention, technology, or field.  In the UK, searches typically cover patents registered with the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), European Patent Office (EPO), and international bodies like the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Purpose

 

→  Freedom to Operate (FTO): Confirm a new product or process does not infringe active UK or international patents, reducing litigation risks under the Patents Act 1977.

 

→  Novelty Assessment: Determine if an invention meets UK patentability criteria (novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability) before filing.

 

→  Competitor Analysis: Identify competitors’ IP to inform market positioning or licensing opportunities.

 

→  R&D Guidance: Avoid duplicating existing work, focusing R&D on unpatented or underexplored areas.

 

→  Due Diligence: Support investment or acquisition decisions by assessing a company’s IP portfolio.

 

Types of Patent Searches

Novelty (Patentability) Search

Conducted pre-filing to assess if an invention is new and non-obvious.

FTO (Clearance) Search

Identifies active patents that could block commercialisation in the UK or export markets.

Validity Search

Evaluates whether an existing patent is enforceable, often for challenging competitors’ IP.

State-of-the-Art Search

Provides a broad overview of a technology field to identify trends or gaps.

Infringement Search

Checks if a specific product or process infringes existing patents.

UK-Specific Considerations

 

▶▶   Patents in the UK are governed by the Patents Act 1977, aligned with the European Patent Convention (EPC). A UK patent grants 20 years of protection from the filing date, renewable annually after year four.

 

▶▶   The UKIPO’s Patent Register covers GB (national) and EP (European) patents effective in the UK, but international searches (e.g., via WIPO’s PCT system) are needed for global coverage.

 

▶▶   Post-Brexit, the UK is no longer part of the EU’s unitary patent system, but EP patents designating the UK remain valid, requiring searches to include EPO databases.

 

Our customers say…

We had just been successful in obtaining a patent on our core product range; it was therefore important that we found a company that could offer an effective Patent Box service. This was the initial reason that convinced us to give ABGi a try. It was a new opportunity that we could not afford to miss. The impact of Patent Box will be highly significant for us, and our company is very happy with the service we have received so far.

 

Nigel Brunning, Director
Bucher Municipal

The ABGi Team took the time to understand our work and produced clear, well-written draft reports that made the whole R&D tax process straightforward. We now feel confident embedding R&D claims into our annual accounts. The benefit we’ve received will support further innovation and growth, including new hires and marketing activity. We’ve already recommended ABGi to other SMEs – their expertise really makes a difference.

 

Laurence Coles, Director
Metamorphic Additive Manufacturing Ltd

Like with many companies, we are constantly busy and at the start of our journey with ABGI, we weren’t sure if the effort would be worth the benefit. Luckily this wasn’t a feeling that lasted for long, as it was surprisingly straightforward and not as much paperwork as first expected.  We were totally stunned at the amount claimed, we really couldn’t believe it. The tax benefit has since allowed us to reinvest the money, buy new machinery and hire 2 new people.

 

Rod Wah, Managing Director
Beverston Engineering

Let’s get started

 

For a free consultation and analysis of the potential returns you might expect from your projects, contact the ABGi UK Team.