Patent searching: how to find out if your idea is already taken
How prior art search works, what it costs, and why the free check is not the same thing.
What prior art is
Anything public before your filing date: patents, applications, papers, blog posts, GitHub repos, product launches, conference talks. Including yours.
Why search first
A search shapes the claims so they clear what exists. Filing blind gets you a rejection citing the exact reference a search would have found.
How we search
Patent AI runs the first pass across patent databases and technical literature and gives you an overlap map. Your attorney reviews it before any filing decision.
Search vs opinion
A search finds references. A patentability opinion is legal advice about what those references mean for you. The free check is software output; the opinion comes from your attorney after engagement.
What it costs
The first screen is free. The full search is included in every paid plan. Standalone, comparable searches run $300 to $500 at most firms.