Perform Searches

On CIPO's Web site, you may now use the Canadian Patents Database to do a preliminary on-line search of patent bibliographical information and have access to descriptions and image documents on patents issued in Canada since 1920. Patent applications published in Canada are also available since October 1989. Patent searches can be conducted using key words in the title, the name of the inventor, owner or applicant, the international or Canadian Patent Classification, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) information and the abstract or claims text. It is also possible to search specific documents like PCT documents, non-PCT documents or licence availability. Additional patent documents (e.g. United States patents) and search tools (e.g. TechSource workstations allowing you to use a search and retrieval component, called Inquire/Text) are currently available in CIPO's Patent Search Room in Gatineau, Quebec.

Foreign Patent Links

On CIPO's Web site, you can also search the Canadian Trade-marks Database and the Canadian Copyrights Database.

The Canadian Trade-marks Database is comprised of all active and many inactive marks that were either applied for or registered pursuant to the current Trade-marks Act or former trade-mark legislation. The database also includes other trade-marks and additional words and designs that are not by definition trade-marks. The complete content description of the database may be found on CIPO's Web site under the Help section of the Trade-marks Database. To learn how to conduct a search and to find out about the importance of trade-marks to business, visit the Trade-marks Database tutorial.

The Canadian Copyrights Database includes all copyrights that were registered as of October 1, 1991, pursuant to the Copyright Act. In some cases, registrations prior to 1991 were entered into the database due to requests for certified copies. This includes traditional copyrights (original literary, artistic, dramatic and musical works) and copyright in other subject matter (performer's performances, sound recordings and communication signals), as well as information on licences and assignments. A search of all Canadian industrial designs may be performed in CIPO's Industrial Design Division, in Gatineau, Quebec.

Note that it is also useful to search other on-line IP databases(e.g. databases provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or the European Patent Office (EPO). SMEs should also be aware of other IP search services and value-added information available from private providers.

An IP search is useful not only to see if it's worth obtaining IP protection but to help you detect or avoid IP infringement. It also has other important benefits as mentioned below.

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