Patent exercises

1. Access the patent tutorial at http://www.summaweb.com/enginlib/ and read about searching patents and using the classification scheme.

Is this a useful site? Would you recommend it to a customer asking about patents and patent searching?

2. Choose a bioinformatics or chemical informatics topic that interests you

e.g., molecular modeling software, high throughput screening devices, protein family annotation devices, gene chips, etc.

Find the appropriate US patent classification number (you may or may not need to find a subclass) using the USPTO (www.uspto.gov/ ) site.

What kinds of answers do you obtain? Specific, general, too many, can you refine the search?

Use words instead of your classification numbers and search for patents on the USPTO and esp@cenet sites. Print out the first page of one patent that matches your interests.

3. Find one patent for each of the companies listed below and write down the patent number:

Eli Lilly, Guidant, DowElanco, Malden Mills, Digimarc, Tiger Electronics

What source(s) did you search for this question?

4. What is a Markush structure, and why is it important for chemistry?

There is a special database on the STN International system for searching Markush structures in patents. What is its name?

5. Use SciFinder Scholar to find a patent dealing with the use of the S enantiomer of Prozac to treat memory disorders. Print out the full record for your answer.

6. Use SciFinder Scholar to find patents for the preparation of Prozac that were abstracted by Chemical Abstracts in 1997. How many did you find? What company is likely to be the patent assignee for the patents you found?