Google zooms in on patents

Google has launched a service that makes it easier to search for patents granted in the US.

Unveiled on Thursday, Google Patent Search allows users to search by keyword, patent number, inventor and filing date. Individual patents can then be scrolled through and searched, and images within the patent can be viewed and zoomed in on.

Google Patent Search takes its information from the public database of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Although this information is openly available, it is currently difficult to search. Google hopes its service can help inventors and programmers find out which innovations have already been granted a patent.

It can be found here. This page displays images from five randomly selected patents every time it is accessed. This includes patents on tennis racquets, popcorn machines and the flying machine patented by the Wright Brothers at the start of the 20th century. Interestingly, Google credits the patent to "OLTVILLE WRIGHT", suggesting its text-scanning system may struggle to read the older patent documents.

At present the system does not include patents that have been granted in the last few months. Nor does it include patent applications that have not yet been accepted or rejected.

According to an FAQ on the site, the search giant is planning to expand the tool to cover other patent-granting bodies in the future. This could include those granted by the UK Patent Office.

Graeme Wearden writes for ZDNet UK.