About patents
A patent is a set of exclusive rights to manufacture, use, or sell an invention for a limited period. They’re issued by governments in exchange for public disclosure of technical information about the invention.
Patent documents include applications, granted patents, amended or lapsed patents and more.
Each country governs its own patent procedures. In Australia, the body responsible for administering patents is IP Australia. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) also allows inventors to apply for international patent protection across a large number of countries.
How to search for patents
Search for patent documents internationally or by country in patent databases using:
- keywords across fields like title, abstract, claims, or full text
- classification code, such as International Patent Classification (IPC), Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC), or United States Classification System (USPCS)
- name of inventor, applicant, or agent
- date, jurisdiction, or document identification number
- biological sequence or chemical name
- an advanced search including a number of the above.
Where to search for patents
Browse patent databases and resources covering different jurisdictions.