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Long-form guides, tool reviews, and news on patent searching and the filing process. Written to be useful on their own — the same method the engine runs, explained so you can run it by hand or check its work.
NewsWhy AI Patent Search Tools Are Having a Moment in 2026
AI patent search is booming in 2026. See why it works, what it still can't do, and how to use it wisely before you spend on a full search.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-27
AcademyAnatomy of a Prior Art Search: A Worked Example From Idea to Report
A worked prior art search example: follow one inventor's real search, step by step, from idea to final claims-reading verdict.
Patent77 Team · 8 min read · 2026-07-26
AcademyPatent Invalidity Search: What It Is and When You Need One
A patent validity search hunts for prior art that could invalidate a granted patent. Learn when you need one, what it costs, and how IPR works.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-26
AcademyPatent Attorney vs DIY Search: When Do You Actually Need a Lawyer?
Patent search attorney vs DIY: when a free search is enough, when to hire a professional, and how much attorneys typically cost in 2026.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-25
AcademyPatent Monitoring Explained: How to Track Competitors' New Filings
Patent monitoring tracks competitors' new filings and grants so you spot R&D shifts and freedom-to-operate risk early, not two years too late.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-25
AcademyCan You Patent a Recipe, a Business Idea, or a Design? Here's the Real Answer
Wondering how to patent a recipe, patent a business idea, or patent a design? Here's the honest, plain-English answer to all three questions.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-24
AcademyHow to Sell an Invention or License Your Patent
Learn how to sell an invention or license your patent: valuation, buyers, deal structures, and scam warnings, so you keep the leverage.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-24
AcademyHow to Patent an App Idea (What Actually Gets Protected)
Wondering how to patent an app idea? Here's what US patent law really protects, how the Alice test works, and better ways to guard your app.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-23
AcademyHow to Protect an Invention Without a Patent
Learn how to protect an invention without a patent using trade secrets, NDAs, provisional filings, defensive publication and first-mover speed.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-23
AcademyInternational Patent Search: Covering the US, Europe, and Beyond
International patent search matters more than you think. Learn how to search Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope and USPTO properly, worldwide.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-22
AcademyGoogle Patents vs Professional Patent Search: What's the Real Gap?
Google Patents vs professional search: both use the same public record, so what does a $1,000-$3,000 search actually add? Here's the real gap, explained.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-22
AcademyDesign Patent Search: How to Check If a Design Is Already Protected
Learn how to run a design patent search step by step, using classification and image comparison, to check if a product's look is already protected.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-21
Academy9 Best Patent Search Engines and Tools in 2026
The 9 best patent search engines and tools in 2026, compared for cost, coverage and depth — from free options to AI-assisted patent search.
Patent77 Team · 9 min read · 2026-07-21
ReviewsEspacenet Review: The EPO's Free Patent Search Tool, Tested
Espacenet review: is the EPO's free patent search tool any good? We test coverage, ease of use, and translation against Google Patents and Patent77.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-20
ReviewsPatSnap Review 2026: Features, Pricing, and Who It's Really For
PatSnap pricing, features and verdict for 2026: who this enterprise IP analytics platform really suits, and a self-serve alternative worth trying.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-20
AcademyExpired Patents: When Patents Enter the Public Domain
When US patents expire (20 years from filing, or earlier via lapsed maintenance fees), how to verify expiry status, and what you can legally do with them.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-11
AcademyProvisional Patent Applications: What They Do and Don't Protect
What a provisional patent application really is: a 12-month priority placeholder that must fully describe the invention. Fees, mistakes, DIY vs attorney.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-11
AcademyPatentability vs Freedom to Operate: Two Different Searches
Can I patent it vs can I ship it: why patentability and FTO searches differ, what each one covers and costs, and when you actually need each.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-11
AcademyPrior Art Explained: What Counts, and What a Search Really Covers
What counts as prior art (patents, papers, products, sales), novelty vs obviousness in plain English, and what professional searches cover and miss.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-11
AcademyPatent Search for AI Agents: API and MCP Server Guide
Give your AI agent real prior-art search: the Patent77 JSON API and hosted MCP server, with curl examples, anonymous trial limits, and pricing.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-11
AcademyHow to Patent an Idea: Costs, Steps, and Timeline (2026)
The real path from idea to US patent: patentability tests, prior-art search, provisional vs non-provisional, USPTO fees, attorney costs, and timeline.
Patent77 Team · 8 min read · 2026-07-11
AcademyHow Much Does a Patent Search Cost? (2026 Price Guide)
Real patent search prices: DIY is free, professional patentability searches run $1,000-$3,000, FTO searches $2,000-$10,000+. What drives the range.
Patent77 Team · 6 min read · 2026-07-11
AcademyHow to Do a Patent Search: A Step-by-Step DIY Guide
Run your own patent search the way professionals do: break the invention into elements, search keywords and CPC codes, and read claims, not titles.
Patent77 Team · 7 min read · 2026-07-11