Patent searches are performed for a variety of reasons. These range from  determining whether an invention is patentable (Patentability Search), determining whether one can manufacture a product (Infringement Search) and determining the level of technology within a given field (State-of-the-art Search).

In all patent protection processes, it is very important to establish novelty. A patent search may be conducted to evaluate the state of the art or to determine whether or not an invention may be patentable. Although a patent search is not a requirement, it is usually a very good idea at any stage of the inventive process.

Advantages of having a patent search conducted are:

• Researching whether the invention is novel or no obvious

• Identifying similar inventions to design around

• Reducing the likelihood of patent infringement and its consequences

A basic patent search is an important tool for any inventor seeking to protect his invention in Malta. Patent registers in Malta are compiled manually. This can result in a very cumbersome procedure for any inventor who is trying to locate any interesting invention or information on a particular subject matter.

Our firm regularly assists in patent searches in Maltese patent registries. The extent and depth of searches vary in accordance with the needs of the client.