Patent Searching

I wonder if the future of patent searching as a profession will change dramatically. A lot of searching duplicates work already done, so I think the future will be based on properly structured databases, easier access & interaction by the public as well as use of mobile communication software and hardware. This will mean greater awareness by the public and hopefully more focused patent applications.
We are working on this right now and the iPad is an ideal tool for such information delivery and management.
Thanks to the Northern Ireland Science Park for the support given to us with the "InventorAid" launch, now available on iTunes!

Tenders

I really wonder about the economic impact government tenders have on the local economy. A friend of mine has responsibility for these in a large Irish Government Dept, and admitted that its the cheapest quote that wins normally. This may seem a good deal for the tax payer, but is it?

Is the race to the bottom a good way of achieving value for money? I don`t think so.
Some questions have to be answered, is the Tender asking for the right criteria to be met?
What is the reputation/experience of the cheapest tenderee?
Will this tender create wealth, or actually depress it?
What will the local effect of the Tender have on local competition?

When I acted as part of the Tender grant board we gave the Tender to the best service provider, who was not the cheapest by a long shot. We took a lot of criticism, but it proved the right thing to do.

Just some thoughts....

Look Before You Leap

I would seriously suggest people do a search of their own before considering applying for a trade mark, design or patent, or even before approaching a patent attorney. This will save time and costs in the short term.

The IP system is based on uniqueness, so the further your IP is from what is already out there, the better it is for you, your business, costs and register-ability of your IP.

The UKIPO and Irish Patent Office have good national patent, trade mark and design databases.
Patentscope is very user friendly for International Patent Applications , espacenet is also useful for mulitnational patent applications and OHIM is excellent for searching European Trade Marks and Designs.