By considering what is already protected, granted or registered in terms
of IP rights, someone may find out what else is happening in a specific
area. Useful information in a specific area may be extracted through an
IP search because IP documents contain detailed and unique types of information.
For example:
patent documents fully describe a specific invention from
a technological area;
trade-mark documents show the wares and services identified
by a certain trade-mark;
industrial design documents show the visual features of
shape, configuration, pattern or ornament applied to a manufactured
article;
copyright documents specify the title and type of work
protected; and
integrated circuit topography documents show drawings
of the three-dimensional configuration of the electronic circuits
used in microchips and semiconductor
chips.
It is well recognized that patent documents are the largest single
source of technical information in the world. It is estimated that
more than
70 percent of the information in patent documents is not available
elsewhere.
