§Services
Patent search services that show their work
Five searches for five different questions, from an inventor's first look to a product team's clearance check. Each one is AI-assisted, read by analysts, and delivered with its audit trail.
§ 01Context
Choose the question first, then the search
Choosing among patent search services starts with the question you are asking, and the questions differ more than the word “search” suggests. An inventor wants to know whether an idea is worth pursuing. A practitioner wants to know what an examiner will cite. A product team wants to know whose in-force claims sit near a launch. Each question sets a different date cut-off, a different set of sources, and a different reader, so we treat them as different services.
What stays the same is the method. Searching is excavation with a grid: you decide in advance where to dig, record every square, and can show afterward what you did not reach. AI-assisted recall widens the dig through semantic search plus classification and citation expansion. An analyst reads every reference, and a second analyst reviews every report. Then the whole grid ships with the results: databases, CPC classes, query strings, date cut-offs, AI tools used, and analyst notes. Read more about our method and how engagements run.
§ 02Overview
Five searches, five questions
Prior-Art Snapshot
Has someone obviously done this already? A focused first look for idea-stage inventors, in plain English, with honest next steps.
3 business days12Patentability Search
What will the examiner find? A full report with patent and non-patent literature, claim-element mapping, and an audit trail.
5–7 business days14Validity & Invalidity Search
What came before this patent's claims? A deep hunt for earlier art, including theses, manuals, archived pages, and foreign-language sources.
2–3 weeks16Product Clearance Search
Whose in-force patents sit along our product's path? Results by feature and jurisdiction, for your attorney's review.
2–3 weeks18Design & Interface Patent Search
What already looks like this? An image-led search for products, GUIs, icons, and projected or AR/VR interfaces.
4–6 business daysA search is only as good as the record of what it covered.
That is why every report we deliver includes the audit trail, not just the answers.
§ 03Compare
Which search do I need?
Match your question to the search. Each one looks at a different slice of the record.
| Your question | Start with | What it looks at | Typical turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is my idea worth pursuing? | Prior-Art Snapshot | The closest references to an idea, summarized in plain English | 3 business days |
| What will the examiner cite against our application? | Patentability Search | Patents and non-patent literature published before your filing, worldwide | 5–7 business days |
| What came before this issued patent? | Validity & Invalidity Search | Anything public before the patent's priority date, in any language or format | 2–3 weeks |
| Whose patents sit near our product? | Product Clearance Search | In-force patents and pending applications, by feature and by market | 2–3 weeks |
| Does a design like ours already exist? | Design & Interface Patent Search | Design patents and registrations, searched by image | 4–6 business days |
Not sure? Describe the decision you face on a free scoping call, and we will recommend the smallest search that answers it.
§ 04Questions
Common questions about our searches
Something else on your mind? Call (505) 357-5188 or write to info@metadragons.com.
Do you give opinions on patentability, validity, or freedom to operate?
No. Metadragons LLC is not a law firm. We find references and map them technically; conclusions belong to your patent attorney or agent. See our scope and disclosures.
How do AI tools fit into your searches?
AI widens recall. People decide relevance. Every reference is read by an analyst, a second analyst reviews every report, and the audit trail names the AI tools used. Client materials are never used to train AI models.
Can you deliver results directly to my attorney or agent?
Yes. Reports are written so a practitioner can check them quickly. If you don't have one, we can share a list of independent practitioners to contact. We receive no referral fees.
How is a search priced?
Every search is quoted as a fixed fee, in writing, within one business day of a free 20–30-minute scoping call. Nothing is billed beyond the quote without your written approval. Our article on what drives the cost of a prior art search explains the variables.
Keep reading
Where to go next
§Next step
Tell us the question. We'll match the search.
Book a free 20–30-minute scoping call. You'll have a fixed-fee written quote within one business day.