Patentability Analysis & Novelty Search
Determine if your invention is truly novel before filing. Our comprehensive prior art searches span 100+ global patent databases — saving you time, money, and uncertainty.
What is Patentability Analysis?
Patentability Analysis — also known as a Novelty Search or Prior Art Search — is a systematic evaluation of your invention against existing published patents, products, and technologies. It determines whether your invention meets the three fundamental requirements for patent protection:
Novelty
Is the invention new and not previously disclosed in any prior art?
Non-Obviousness
Would the invention be non-obvious to a person skilled in the technical field?
Usefulness
Does the invention have a practical, real-world industrial application?
Beyond these core criteria, our analysis also evaluates the existence of closely related technologies, assesses the strength of patentability, and provides actionable strategic recommendations — helping you make an informed decision before investing in a full patent application.
Why Perform a Patentability Search Before Filing?
The reason is a practical one: it is always kinder to your budget, and your peace of mind, to know where you stand before the filing fees rather than after. A well-conducted patentability search helps you in several important ways:
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Avoid wasted investment — Identify blocking patents early before spending thousands on application fees and legal drafting costs.
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Stronger patent claims — Understanding existing prior art helps your attorney draft narrower, more defensible claims that won't be easily rejected.
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Anticipate objections early — A good search shows which elements may face rejection during examination, so there are no unpleasant surprises in the office action.
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USPTO Accelerated Examination — If you intend to pursue the USPTO's Accelerated Examination Program, a thorough pre-filing search forms part of the required support document.
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Informed business decisions — Provide IP intelligence to your R&D, product, and executive teams on the competitive landscape.
Our Patentability Search Process
Our methodology is rigorous, transparent, and aligned with international patent office standards.
Invention Disclosure & NDA Execution
We begin by executing a confidentiality agreement, then gather a detailed technical disclosure of your invention — understanding the core concept, key features, and problem it solves.
Keyword & Classification Strategy
Our technical experts identify the most relevant CPC/IPC patent classification codes and develop a comprehensive keyword taxonomy tailored to your invention's domain.
Multi-Database Prior Art Search
We conduct exhaustive searches across 100+ patent databases including USPTO, EPO, WIPO (PCT), JPO, CNIPA, KIPO, as well as NPL sources — scientific journals, conference papers, and technical literature.
Expert Analysis & Mapping
Identified prior art documents are analyzed by our domain experts who map the references against each element of your invention's claim to assess novelty and non-obviousness.
Detailed Report Delivery
A comprehensive report is delivered within 3–5 business days, including full citations, element-by-element claim charts, patentability assessment, and strategic recommendations.
What You Receive
Every patentability search report from Rights Reality includes:
Industries & Technology Domains We Cover
Our team of technical experts covers a wide range of engineering and science disciplines:
What Our Clients Say
Our attorney recently asked Rights Reality to conduct FTO and landscape studies for our products. The whole exercise was a real eye opener for us and a huge value to better understand both risks and opportunities in our space.
For technology-based companies, a robust IP strategy and portfolio is the life blood to create significant value for shareholders and a path to long term success.
Rights Reality has been our IP partner for over 3 years and have done a phenomenal job of helping create and manage our patent portfolio.
Rights Reality has provided us excellent IPR expert services many times in the past. Our cooperation started with only small projects, but quickly escalated to higher levels of business consultation regarding IPR.
“We worked with Yuvendra and his team on several projects in the past months, including on various Freedom to Operate (FTO) and patentability analyses.
We have used Rights Reality’s expert services for multiple infringement analysis and invalidity search projects. We have found their results and presentation of the best quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
A patentability (novelty) search determines whether your invention is new and non-obvious enough to obtain a patent. A Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) search, on the other hand, determines whether your product or process would infringe any currently active patents — they serve very different strategic purposes.
Still Have Questions?
Our IP experts are happy to answer any questions about your specific invention or patentability concerns.
Talk to an ExpertReady to Evaluate Your Patentability Analysis?
Get a thorough prior art search from former patent examiners and seasoned IP professionals — delivered in 3–5 business days.