PatentsView
Search, view, track patent trends, and narrow searches with keywords and criteria.
What is PatentsView?
PatentsView is a free patent search and analysis tool that lets you explore the full US patent database. You can search by keyword, inventor, assignee, and other criteria to find relevant patents, then track how patent trends develop over time. The tool displays patent data in searchable formats and visualisations, making it useful for anyone who needs to understand what's been patented in a particular field. It's particularly valuable for researchers, inventors, and business analysts who want to check existing patents before developing new ideas, or who need to monitor competitor activity in their sector.
Key Features
Keyword and criteria-based search
Find patents using specific terms, inventor names, company assignees, filing dates, and other filters
Patent trend tracking
Visualise how many patents have been filed in a category over time to spot industry momentum
Patent data viewing
Access detailed patent information including claims, abstracts, drawings, and filing history
Advanced filtering
Narrow results by technology classification, patent type, and other structured data fields
Free access to US patent data
No subscription required to search the full database
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- Completely free to use with no sign-up required for basic searches
- Direct access to official US patent data without intermediaries
- Useful trend visualisations help you spot patterns across years or decades
- Multiple search options allow both quick keyword searches and detailed investigations
Limitations
- Limited to US patents only; doesn't cover international patent systems like EPO or WIPO
- User interface can feel dated compared to commercial patent search tools
- No built-in tools for tracking specific patents over time or setting alerts for new filings
Use Cases
Checking whether your invention idea already exists before investing in development
Researching what competitors have patented in your industry
Analysing patent trends to understand where technology is moving in your field
Finding prior art for patent disputes or freedom-to-operate assessments
Academic research into patent landscapes and innovation trends