Prior Art Searches

A patent search is usually a good idea.

Deciding whether to spend the money on a patent search is a difficult decision to make. It depends on many factors. The following provides the pros and cons and practical advice. 

A patent search keeps you from potentially wasting time and money on an invention that would be not be patentable or at least very difficult to obtain meaningful patent protection for. A good search can turn up information that may indicate that could potentially prevent obtaining of a patent. 

Additionally, a good search predicts the objections that the patent office might raise against patentability and give you extra time to consider and prepare a proper response to potential rejections of the application.

It is well worth the added expense for the patent search to give yourself a "heads up" on your invention.