From a former USPTO official: Why a patent search matters, and how to do it right
Patents can feel overwhelming for inventors. To help demystify things, FluidityIQ CEO Jeff Roy sat down with Rick Seidel, former deputy commissioner for patents at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
This two-part series covers candid, practical advice for understanding patents and the filing process drawn from decades of experience inside the nation’s top patent authority. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Jeff Roy: How has patent searching evolved, and what impact is AI having on the process today?
Rick Seidel: When I started as a USPTO examiner in the 1980s, patent searching was entirely paper based, and we were limited to physical records. Around 2000, computer-based searching took off with Boolean operators, and that evolved steadily.
More recently, AI has been a game-changer. It expands the search window globally, handling hundreds of millions of documents in real time. While some examiners were skeptical, more than 50 percent now use AI tools routinely.
AI’s ability to surface relevant patents based on contextual meaning, not just keywords, makes it easier and faster to find what matters—especially as traditional keyword searches risk missing critical concepts like “feline” instead of “cat,” if you’re not careful.
Jeff Roy: Why is it so important for independent inventors to conduct a patent search?
Rick Seidel: The search is really important. You need to know: Is there anything else out there that jumps out at you as being similar to your invention?
If you have an idea with drawings, and your patent search turns up carbon copies owned by someone else, stop. You’re not going to get very far. But if you do a thorough search and don’t see anything like it, then move forward.
A good search helps you understand what’s out there and whether your idea truly has a chance to mature into a patent.
Jeff Roy: What advice do you have for first-time inventors when conducting a patent search?
Rick Seidel: One of the biggest challenges is being too specific. You need to think more broadly.
For example, say you’ve invented a cargo ship that moves containers from point A to B. In a search, that same concept could apply to a conveyor belt–still moving items from A to B, just on land.
Thinking outside the box helps you uncover related prior art and draft stronger claims. If your claims are too narrow or too broad, you risk rejection. Broader thinking leads to better searching and better patents.
In Part 2, Jeff and Rick will walk through the patent filing process and share tips to help first-time inventors avoid common mistakes.
