Patent databases and registers

Every innovation should start with a (patent) search, as innovation requires that you are well-informed of technological developments that already exist. The majority of these developments are described in patents. By studying patent literature, surprising information can therefore be gleaned.

NL Patent Office provides a number of technical and legal databases free of charge.
 
Difference between databases and registers
There is a major difference between patent databases and patent registers.

• If you want to know whether your invention is new, you should search in the patent databases. Here you can find complete patent publications with text and drawings. This is therefore more static information.
• If you want to know the rights of the patent holder, you should look in the patent registers. In patent registers you will find information about the status of a patent like date of granting and validity of the patent, and amendments in the patent procedure like oppostion against the patent, the sale or expiry of the patent. Registers therefore provide dynamic information.

Databases and registers

• Overview patent databases and patent registers
• Overview trademark and design databases