How to Search Best: A Guide to United Patents

How to Search Best: Complete Guide to United Patents

Welcome to United Patents! This comprehensive guide will help you master the art of searching UPC decisions and patent information efficiently. Whether you're a legal professional, patent attorney, or researcher, these tips will help you find exactly what you need.

UPC DECISION SEARCH: HOW TO SEARCH BEST

1. Basic Keyword Search

Start with simple keywords related to your research:

Examples:

• preliminary injunction

• patent validity

• infringement

• costs

• damages

2. Advanced Search Techniques

Exact Phrase Search

Use quotes to find exact phrases:

"preliminary injunction"

"patent infringement"

"costs follow the event"

Exclude Terms

Use the minus sign (-) to exclude unwanted results:

injunction -costs

patent -validity

damages -punitive

Combine Techniques

Mix different search methods for precise results:

"preliminary injunction" -costs -damages

patent validity -infringement

3. Smart Search Patterns

The system recognizes these special patterns automatically:

Patent Number Search

• EP3422139B1 - Direct patent number

• EP 35 63822 B1 - Patent with spaces

• 3563822B1 - Just the number (EP prefix added automatically)

Decision Reference Search

• act_123/2024

• ord_456/2024

• app_789/2024

• upc_101/2024

European Patent References

The system automatically finds these patterns:

• European patent n° 1234567

• European Patent No. 1234567

• Europäische Patente Nr. 1234567

ADVANCED FILTERING OPTIONS

Date Range Filter

• Click the date picker to select a specific time period

• Useful for finding recent decisions or historical cases

• Default shows all available decisions

Court Filtering ( Pro)️

• First Instance Courts: All courts except Luxembourg

• Second Instance Courts: Only Luxembourg (Court of Appeal)

• Individual Courts: Select specific courts from the dropdown

Document Type Filter

• Decisions: Final court decisions

• Orders: Interim orders and procedural decisions

• Toggle between both or focus on one type

Language Filter

• Filter by the language of proceedings

• Available languages include English, German, French, and others

• Useful for finding decisions in your preferred language

Patent-Specific Search

• Enter a patent number to find all decisions related to that patent

• Works with various patent number formats

• Automatically handles spaces and formatting

Legal Standards Search

• Search for specific legal provisions (e.g., "Art. 123 EPC", "Rule 15 RoP")

• Supports multiple variations:

• VerfO = RoP = Rules of Procedure

• UPCA = EPGÜ = EPÜ = TFEU

• Add multiple legal standards for comprehensive searches

CUSTOMIZING YOUR VIEW

Column Management

Toggle which columns to display:

• Date: When the decision was issued

• Type: Decision or Order

• Reference: Official reference number

• Registry Number: Court registry number

• Case Number: Specific case identifier

• Court: Which court issued the decision

• Type of Action: Legal action type

• Language: Language of proceedings

• Parties: Involved parties

• Patent: Related patent numbers

• Legal Norms: Referenced legal standards

• Tags: User-added tags

Sorting Options

Click column headers to sort by:

• Date (default: newest first)

• Type

• Case Number

• Registry Number

• And more...

Results Per Page

Choose how many results to display:

• 10 (default)

• 25

• 50

• 100

PERSONAL FEATURES (ACCOUNT REQUIRED)

Bookmarking Decisions

• Click the star icon next to any decision

• Access your bookmarked decisions from the sidebar

• Perfect for tracking important cases

Adding Notes

• Click the note icon to add personal annotations

• Notes are private to your account

• Great for case analysis and research tracking

Adding Tags

• Tag decisions with custom labels

• Organize your research by topics or cases

• Tags help categorize and find related decisions

Personal Collections

• Your bookmarked decisions appear in the sidebar

• Quick access to your most important cases

• Remove items when no longer needed

PRO TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE SEARCHING

1. Start Broad, Then Narrow

1. Begin with general keywords

1. Use filters to narrow down results

1. Refine your search terms based on what you find

2. Use Multiple Search Strategies

• Combine keyword search with filters

• Try different phrasings for the same concept

• Use both English and German terms when relevant

3. Leverage the Highlighting

• Search results highlight matching terms

• Look for highlighted sections to quickly identify relevance

• Use this to refine your search terms

4. Save Your Research

• Bookmark important decisions immediately

• Add notes while the context is fresh

• Use tags to organize by case or topic

5. Explore Related Content

1. Click on decisions to view full details

2. Check related patents and legal standards

3. Look at parties involved for similar cases

TROUBLESHOOTING COMMON ISSUES

No Results Found

1. Check spelling: Ensure keywords are spelled correctly

2. Try broader terms: Use more general keywords

3. Remove filters: Clear date ranges or other filters

4. Check language: Try searching in different languages

Too Many Results

1. Add more specific terms: Narrow your search

2. Use filters: Apply date range, court, or type filters

3. Use exact phrases: Put specific terms in quotes

4. Exclude unwanted terms: Use the minus sign (-)

Results Not Relevant

1. Refine keywords: Try different terminology

2. Use exact phrases: Put important terms in quotes

3. Check filters: Ensure filters aren't too restrictive

4. Try synonyms: Use alternative legal terms

GETTING HELP

Built-in Help

• Click the "How to search?" button for quick tips

• Tooltips explain various features

• Context-sensitive help throughout the interface

Search Examples

Try these example searches to get started:

• "preliminary injunction" patent

• damages -costs

• EP3422139B1

• act_123/2024

Best Practices Summary

1. Be specific with your search terms

2. Use filters to narrow results

3. Bookmark important findings

4. Add notes for future reference

5. Try different approaches if initial searches don't work

QUICK REFERENCE CARD

Remember: The more specific your search, the more relevant your results will be. Don't hesitate to experiment with different combinations until you find exactly what you need!

Happy searching!