Patent Research Services That Help You Make Smarter Decisions
If you are investing time, money, or legal resources into an invention or new product, the last thing you want is to discover too late that you are wasting your money or about to create a legal problem.
Patent research gives you the clarity you need before you move forward. Pearson Strategy Group helps inventors, startups, companies, and patent professionals uncover the truth behind an idea so you can reduce risk, expand your opportunities, and make informed decisions.
What Is Patent Research and Prior Art Search?
Prior art research, often referred to as patent research, is the process of identifying existing patents, published applications, technical papers, and public disclosures related to your invention or product.
The goal is simple. Understand what already exists before you commit to development, filing a patent application, or producing a product.
Performing a patent search early helps you:
- Identify similar inventions or competing technologies to determine if your idea is truly novel (patentable)
- Avoid wasted time and costly patent rejections
- Reduce the risk of infringement
- Strengthen your patent application so that your future patent is more valuable
Without this step, you are making decisions without the full picture.
A professional patent search gives you the insight needed to move forward with confidence instead of guesswork.
Types of Patent Searches
Different situations require different types of research. Choosing the right approach is critical, and we are happy to assist you in making this decision.
Patentability Search
Evaluates whether your invention is new and likely to meet patent requirements. This type of search is sometimes called a “Novelty Search.”
Prior Art Search
Identifies existing patents and publications that relate to your idea.
Freedom to Operate (FTO) Search
Determines whether your product could infringe on live utility or design patents.
Patent Landscape Analysis
Provides a broader view of competitors, trends, and innovation opportunities within a specific industry. This type of search usually produces trends and other charts that let you visualize your results at a high level.
How Do You Search for Prior Art?
A proper patent search goes far beyond typing keywords into a free online search engine.
At Pearson Strategy Group, the process includes:
- Understanding the invention
We analyze your concept, features, and intended use. - Developing a search strategy
We identify the most appropriate keywords, classifications, and technical concepts. - Searching multiple databases
We explore global patent systems and technical literature to give you a clear, reliable picture before you invest time or money. - Reviewing and filtering results
We identify the most relevant prior art. - Delivering clear insights
You receive a detailed report. - Discussion and planning
We discuss your results to ensure you know what they mean to you.
What Databases Are Used in Patent Research?
Effective patent research requires access to multiple databases and sources. For this reason, Pearson Strategy Group uses the best research engine available, pulling from over 100 patenting authorities.
These sources include the better-known patenting authorities:
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- European Patent Office (EPO)
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
- Canada (CA)
- China (CNIPA)
We are also adept at researching from our proprietary database of over 300 non-patent literature (NPL) sources. While some are well known, here are a few examples of other sources we consider:
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers)
- CiteSeerX
- DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
Using multiple sources ensures a more complete and accurate search. Fortunately for you, Pearson Strategy uses the top-rated patent research engine that integrates data from over 100 patenting authorities. It also provides our proprietary search methods, which identify prior art and other information that other researchers may miss. And “no,” AI-generated reports appear informative and complete until you see what we produce.
How Accurate Are Patent Searches?
No search can guarantee that every piece of prior art will be found. However, a well-executed patent search significantly improves your understanding of the landscape.
Accuracy depends on:
- The quality of the search strategies
- The use of multiple search strategies
- The experience of the researcher
- The databases used
- The complexity of the invention
Professional research reduces uncertainty and gives you a stronger foundation for decision-making.
Pearson Strategy’s use of multiple search strategies and proprietary methods ensures you receive the best possible information and are not distracted by unrelated content.
Further, our proprietary methods include double-checking our own initial results.
We are the only research or patent research firm that guarantees your satisfaction!
Timeline and Cost Expectations
Patent research timelines vary based on complexity, but most projects are completed within:
- Two business days for researching a specific company, its affiliated companies, and its likely inventors.
- One week for focused searches
- Two weeks for more complex projects
Costs depend on scope, depth, and objectives. We have 1000s of searches, and we usually offer flat rates that we can quote you upfront.
The key takeaway is this. The cost of research is small compared to the cost of making the wrong decision.
Real-World Example
A U.S.-based client asked us to evaluate whether their charity fundraising software could be patented and whether they could sell it without infringing on existing patents, known as a Freedom to Operate analysis. This is a common concern, since owning a patent does not guarantee the right to commercialize a product.
We recommended a Concept Validation study, a fixed fee service that provides initial insight into patentability and risk.
Our research identified twelve closely related U.S. patent applications. None had been granted. Eleven were abandoned, and one remained active but had not yet received its first office action.
Based on this, we advised the client that their idea was unlikely to meet the novelty requirements for a patent. The number of abandoned applications suggested others had faced similar challenges. We also found no immediate Freedom to Operate concerns, though we recommended monitoring the active application and noted that a full FTO search would provide deeper certainty. We encouraged the client to consult a patent attorney for legal guidance.
This clarity helped the client make informed decisions. They chose not to pursue a patent, avoiding the significant costs that often begin around $8,000 just to file the application, with additional charges to follow. They also recognized that even if granted, the patent would likely be narrow and offer limited protection or value, a common outcome for 95% of patent holders.
With no major barriers identified, the client moved forward with development and commercialization, understanding the associated risks.
While the outcome was not what they initially hoped for, they gained valuable insight early and were able to redirect their resources with confidence.
Why Work with Pearson Strategy Group
When your idea matters, the quality of your research matters.
We provide:
- Deep expertise in patent research methodologies
- Thorough and defensible search strategies
- Clear, easy-to-understand reporting
- Fast turnaround times
- A collaborative approach with inventors and legal teams
- We are the only research firm that guarantees our work!
Our goal is simple. Help you make better decisions with confidence.
A Word from Our Founder, Steve Pearson
The patent process is a serious investment with no guaranteed returns.
Filing your application can easily cost you $8,000 or more just to submit a well-done application (with more charges to follow), but the USPTO only issues patents for about 50% of the applications it receives. Worse, only 5% of those who obtain US patents will ever recoup the cost of obtaining one.
Those are lousy odds.
Custom patent-related research by the Pearson Strategy Group can save money and better prepare you for success.
We’re confident that our services will pay for themselves. We dare you to find another patent research company that makes this promise.
Your immediate benefits include:
- Avoid unnecessary costs – know before you go. If you choose not to file, we just saved you at least $8,000 to $10,000 for the drafting and filing of the application, and this doesn’t include your additional costs for the Patent Examiner’s Office Actions!
- Improve your odds of receiving an issued patent.
- Strengthen your patent to maximize its legal coverage.
- Optimize your product strategy before spending money.
- Assess whether utility or design patents are worth pursuing.
- Identify hidden competitors early.
What Sets PSG Apart?
- We are the only research firm that guarantees your satisfaction!
- Discover information missed by other patent researchers or attorneys.
- Proprietary research methods.
- Professional-grade research tools with access to over 100 global patent authorities.
- Help reduce your risk of infringing other patents.
- Identify potential licensees or investors in your idea.
- Strengthen the legal and financial value of your issued patent.
- Referrals to trusted IP attorneys for legal assistance.
- Over 19 years of experience.
- Veteran-owned and U.S.-based.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
We are the only research firm that guarantees your satisfaction. If you’re not satisfied, we’ll make it right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prior art includes any existing patents, publications, or public disclosures that relate to your invention and may affect its novelty.
No; however, a patent search helps identify potential conflicts and improves your chances of a successful application. We believe that every client will *save* money as a result of our research, regardless of how they proceed.
Most projects are completed within a few days to a few weeks, depending on complexity and scope.
Your odds of making money with an issued US utility patent are only 5%. There are many reasons why this is so low, but realize that there are additional reasons why your intellectual property strategy might want to include patents beyond getting a direct financial return.
Patent Attorneys live their professional careers in the patenting space. Many people assume that they are patent research experts; however, most are not. Their skill set and training are in patent law, not in research. Further, most of them will use the same resources you have available, rather than the expert-grade engine we use. We don’t just help you find out if you can get a patent, we also help you determine whether it is likely to have future financial value and whether you will be at risk for patent infringement if you move forward with selling your product.
Our patent research is *very* focused, and on many projects we work on (~80%), the ideas/products are either “not patentable” or require a change in the approach. We will make suggestions on how to increase your odds of getting a patent, expand your application’s scope to increase its future value, and avoid infringement of other patents.
Our pricing starts at $180, and our most common deliverable is $800.
We have completed thousands of international searches across various technologies.
We often work with clients having ideas in the high-tech, software, energy, electrical, mechanical, construction, medical, surgical, consumer goods, and transportation industries. If yours isn’t listed here, ask us about it!
Our typical clients include Patent Attorneys/Law Firms, inventors, Amazon sellers and resellers, high-tech, software/SAAS, energy, electrical, mechanical, construction, consumer goods, medical practitioners and surgeons, and transportation companies. We currently provide patent research services to twelve patent attorneys and two patent agents. They know my results are of higher quality at a better rate than if they try to handle this specialized work on their own.
Our single best location to see client reviews is our over 50 five-star reviews on Google. You can also check out Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot, and LinkedIn.
Our initial consultations are always free!
We do free reviews of other searchers’ results, including those of patent attorneys and AI. We will provide an early assessment report to help you decide whether to trust those results.
Take the Next Step with Confidence
Before you invest more time or money in your idea, make sure you have the right information.
Partner with Pearson Strategy Group to get the clarity you need to confidently move forward.
Complete the form below or contact us today to get started.
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