Patent Search: Know Before You File
A proper patent search is the difference between a confident filing and an expensive rejection.
If you have an invention, the single most important step before spending thousands on a patent attorney is a thorough patent search. A patent search scans existing patents and pending applications to see whether your idea — or something close to it — has already been claimed. Skip this step, and you risk paying full filing costs on an application that gets rejected for lack of novelty.
What a Real Patent Search Actually Checks
- Prior art: existing patents, published applications, and in some cases non-patent literature that describes something similar to your idea.
- Claim scope: how broadly existing patents are written, and whether your specific implementation falls inside or outside that scope.
- Filing history: whether similar ideas have been filed and abandoned, which can actually work in your favor.
Why DIY Google Searches Aren't Enough
Patents are written in a specific legal language, and most inventors searching Google or even the USPTO's own basic search tools miss the prior art that actually matters — because it's filed under different terminology, in a different classification, or in a related field they didn't think to check.
How Primoris Does It Differently
Primoris runs a structured patent search using the same databases patent professionals rely on, then returns a clear, readable report — not a wall of legal jargon. You get a straightforward answer: is your idea likely patentable, and what does the existing landscape look like. Standard searches start at $99; a deeper research tier is available for $248 when you need more thorough coverage before a major filing decision.