Patent searching, or search methodology, is a learned skill.  Other sites will say “comprehensive review” or “proven search strategies”  or “industry unique approach”  or “solutions approach” etc. all of which are likely true since an objective of every search is thoroughness and these phrases imply that.  These comments, on the other-hand, are opaque and sound mysteriously secretive.  Finding prior art is both a qualitative and iterative process where there are only five cognitive steps that every mechanical or electrical patent search should include.

1. Manually search (look at all patents) by Classification
2. Keywords limited to the Title, Abstract, and Claims
3. Keywords (with Boolean Operators, Proximity Operators and Truncation’s) targeted to specific Classification/subclassifications
4. Keywords (with Boolean Operators, Proximity Operators and Truncation’s) applied to all holdings e.g. Globally  
5. Forward and Reverse Citations review.

1. A search begins with the understanding that every idea has a home.  Home refers to where a patent or application is filed  according to a broad Classification and narrower subclassification schedule.   Identifying the correct home is paramount.  Because mechanical and electrical projects require heavy dependence on the drawings, less so on text, mastering the Classification Schedule is essential.  In fact, this is the most fundamental skill inherent to the search process and the one that underpins search quality for mechanical and electrical searchers.  Even though a patent is typically classified in multiple subclasses, there is only one home.
2. Keywords in Title, Abstract and Claims is a quick way to catch low hanging fruit.  The results are mined for clues to Classification.
3. Keywords by Classification/subclassifications expands the search to additional features disclosed in the application without producing excess noise.  
4. We view keywords across all classifications as a mop-up exercise to find outliers often requiring several NOT operators to reduce noise. 
5. Forward and Reverse Citation reviews leverage the search work conducted by Patent Office’s which is especially important when a reference has an international family.

These are the primary techniques that any professional searcher would likely use and should.  These are not all the techniques in the professional searchers bag of tricks just the essential ones.  At Reveal-IP we will employ at least these five steps in our search methodology, and we do so transparently detailed in the search report.