You have a great idea. Is patenting the best way to protect it? How much do patents cost? How do you find out if your idea is patentable?
	Robert M. Hunter, Ph.D. Registered Patent Agent WebPatent.com

These firms will search only the invention you disclose to them. Participation of a patent practitioner in formulating the description of the "target" invention for the search can greatly increase the value of the search.

Patent Search Firms

Derwent North America
Derwent Search Service
1725 Duke Street, Suite 250
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: 1.800.451.3551
Fax: 703.519.5829
E-mail: info@derwent.com
Web: http://www.derwent.co.uk

The Devine Corporation, Inc.
P.O. Box 4035
Gainsville, FL 32613
Tel: 352.378.3713
Fax: 352. 372.6896

Global Prior Art
One Hundred Summer Street, 27th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Tel: 617.574.9574
Fax: 617.574.9559

Intellectual Property Research, Inc.
1940 Duke Street
Suite 200 #2007
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: 703.624.3840
Fax: 703.583.3693
E-mail: ipresearch@verizon.net

MicroPatent USA
250 Dodge Avenue
East Haven, CT 06512
Tel: 203.466.5055
Fax: 203.466.5054
E-mail: info@micropat.com
Web: http://www.micropat.com

Patent Research Services
Tel: 1.800.835.0880
Fax: 1.800.633.3292

Questal-Orbit PATService
2001 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 802
Arlington, VA 22202
Tel: 1.800.336.7575
Fax: 703.415.1653
Web: http://www.questal.orbit.com/patserv.html

The Sloan Companies
454 M St. SW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20024
Tel: 202.321.1238
Fax: 202.337.8163
Web: http://users.aol.com/SloaneCo/priorart.htm

Research Firms and Librarians

Derwent North America
Derwent Search Service
1725 Duke Street, Suite 250
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: 1.800.451.3551
Fax: 703.519.5829
E-mail: info@derwent.com
Web: http://www.derwent.co.uk

Information Researchers
Graduate School of Library and Information Science
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
501 E. Daniel Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Tel: 1.800.643.2807
Fax: 217.333.9361
E-mail: info@uiuc.edu