Free Customizable Patent Citation Lists Through the CCD

[tweetmeme source=”Intellogist” only_single=false] In a past blog post, I looked at some of the notable features of the  Common Citation Document (CCD), a free tool where you can view citations from the EPO, USPTO, JPO, and PCT for entire patent families related to a specific patent application. Check out the first blog post for an overview of CCD coverage, search, and display features; you’ll be impressed by the wide range of functions offered by the tool, including multiple panes for viewing lists and patent documents simultaneously and a timeline visualization feature for viewing the timespan for a collection of citations.  One of the most noteworthy traits of the CCD is its customization options for viewing information.  The CCD allows you to control the flow of information and the final output of the citation data, so you are only viewing the data that is relevant to you.  Whether you are a patent examiner who wants a detailed list of citations in the format of a PCT international search report, or you’re a patent searcher looking for a simple, direct list of related prior art, the CCD offers viewing options that meet many types of user needs.

Continue reading to learn about the flexible options for viewing patent citation data on the CCD!

An Incredible Free Patent Citation Search and Analysis Tool: The CCD

[tweetmeme source=”Intellogist” only_single=false] Citation search and analysis tools are available in many subscription patent databases; PatBase allows users to view both patent and non-patent literature citations for entire patent families, and users can view the citations graphically through “citation trees.” A July 2011 update to PatBase added the additional features of a citation timeline and citation line graph.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if there was a patent citation tool, with similar functions to the PatBase citation features, that was also free?  Thanks to the EPO, JPO, and USPTO, such a tool now exists.  The Common Citation Document (CCD) allows users to view documents cited by the EPO, USPTO, JPO, and PCT citations for patent families related to a specific patent application.  The CCD application includes the capability to view full-text of cited patent documents, the division of cited documents in a list by source of citation and connection to a specific patent application, the category of relevance for EPO citations,  a compilation of “classifications and fields searched” for an entire patent family, and a timeline view to illustrate the time span for a collection of citations.

Read on for a detailed description of the coverage, features, and functions of the CCD application!

Patent Citation Visualizations

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Patent citation visualizations are a hot feature in the patent search world. Most major systems have some variation on a feature that allows users to view a tree, web, or map-like structure detailing the forward and backward citations of a given patent or patent family.These tools can help visual learners more intuitively grasp the importance of a patent by seeing how many forward citations it has (patent documents issued after the document of interest that cite back to said document). Versions of these tools that allow dynamic manipulation can lead to quick browsing and discovery of related prior art while versions that include sorting or coloring can quickly display trends and competitive intelligence to non-patent savvy decision-makers.

Read on as we profile some prominent patent citation visualization features!

Gain the advantage in citation analysis: the Derwent Patent Citation Index

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It seems astonishing that the last annual PIUG conference took place more than three months ago. Although I learned so much at the conference, as time goes by I’m left with only my rapidly fading memories and a conference program full of illegibly scrawled notes. (I’ve heard the  Handwriting without Tears program is all the rage in the public schools – I wonder if I should enroll myself.)

Before my memories fade entirely, I wanted to blog about one more conference tidbit.   I thought it was interesting that Thomson Reuters chose to dedicate their workshop space to the Derwent Patent Citation Index (PCI) file.