6.1.11.5 Conducting the Search

Date Published

Once a search strategy has been agreed upon by the 3 person team, the search examiner immediately carries out any aspects of the search strategy where it is practicable to do so. These aspects of the search may include searching on USPTO, Espacenet, or EPOQUE, an AU search (full or non-Convention) or a non-patent literature search. See 6.1.10 Non-Patent Literature and 4.4.3.3 Non-Patent Literature.

Note that in many cases, an applicant/inventor name search will also be required. The 3 person team is responsible for determining, during the development of the search strategy, whether one of the identified exceptions in 4.3.6 Applicant and/or Inventor Name Searching applies.

The search strategy should be regularly reviewed during the search process, taking interim search results into account. See 4.5 Conducting the search.

For abstracts in a foreign language where the search examiner requires assistance with that language, the examiner may either:

Amended Reasons

Amended Reason Date Amended

Edited for better readability. Edited for consistency with Style Manual. Updated link text. Added links.

Published for testing
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