How to Find Your Patents

A Guide for Inventors Who Don’t Know If Their Patent Has Issued – or Forgot the Number

Are you an inventor trying to determine whether your patent has issued? Or are you ready to order a plaque but can’t remember your patent number? Don’t worry, there are several free and easy-to-use online tools that can help you locate your patent or published application.

Below are the most commonly used resources, with step-by-step instructions to help you search by name, assignee, or other criteria.

🔍 1. U.S. Patent Office Search Tools (USPTO)

Search issued patents and published applications directly through the USPTO:

• Website: USPTO Boolean Search

Steps:

1. Go to the search page.

2. In the left dropdown, select “Inventor Name.”

3. In the right field, enter your name in the format:
   LastName-FirstName (e.g., Smith-John)

4. You can also use additional fields to narrow your search by:

   • Assignee (e.g., the company the patent is assigned to)

   • Issue date

   • Patent classification, etc.

💡 This is the most reliable and up-to-date source for U.S. patents, including whether a patent has issued or is still pending.

🌐 2. Google Patents (U.S. & International)

Google Patents includes a broad collection of both U.S. and international patents and applications in a user-friendly format.

• Website: https://patents.google.com

To search by inventor name:

• Enter in the search bar:
  inventor:"smith-john"

• You can combine filters, such as:
  inventor:"smith-john" AND assignee:"xerox"

Tips:

• Use quotes around names.

• Combine multiple inventors, keywords, or assignees with AND or OR.

• Google Patents may lag behind the USPTO database by 7–10 days.

🌎 3. Espacenet (Worldwide Patent Database)

Espacenet is a global database maintained by the European Patent Office with over 110 million patent documents.

• Website: Espacenet Advanced Search

To search:

1. Enter your name in the Inventor(s) field.

2. To limit results to U.S. documents, enter US in the Publication Number field.

Why use Espacenet?

• Broader international coverage.

• Excellent for finding patents filed or issued outside the U.S.

• Useful filters and multilingual support.

📝 Need Help?

If you’re not sure whether your patent has issued, or if you’re having trouble identifying the correct number for your plaque order, we’re happy to help. Just send us the inventor name or a copy of your filing receipt, and we can assist you in verifying the current status.

In Summary:

• Use the USPTO for the most accurate U.S. patent status.

• Use Google Patents for an easy-to-read interface covering both U.S. and foreign filings.

• Use Espacenet for the most comprehensive international search.

Once your patent has officially issued and you have your eight-digit U.S. patent number (e.g., US 11,234,567), you’re ready to place your order for a plaque to commemorate your achievement.