The Figure is a display to user resulting from using the N-Search computer
program. N-search is a method for finding a patent from its number.
The number provided by the user may not be precise, or not complete.

To find it worldwide is not a simple task. The new method helps the user to
locate it. The system finds it by type, and display info if possible.

It uses additional info if available- name of applicant, date of issue or
filing. It can use it to check, choose one of many results, the result
which also gives the additional info.

Depending on what the user wants: present status, text, drawings,
What the system sends - is a valid query or a plurality of such queries.
These queries will not result in error messages. This will reduce the load
on database.

Thus, we help the frustrated inventor, who gets only errors. If the user has
an invalid number - we will tell him, explain, not just display ERROR if
incomplete; rather, we will complete the number for various options, and the
user will see several windows with several results. He can choose and find
the correct, desired one.

a. The user enters a patent/application number in window.
A partial number may be entered, the best the user knows.

b. the maximal number of windows to concurrently open is entered therein.
In each window, a different database (ie in US, GB, Japan) or type of search
in a database (ie patents, applications) may be entered.

c. whether this is a patent or application, if known to user, in a window

d. Country/place, if known to user

e. Additional details known to user (such as applicant's name, or inventor's
or filing date, or title, or issue date)

f. when the Search now 619 button is activated, the system checks the search
terms, and corrects them as possible to adapt them to each of the various
databases where the search is to be performed.

The user's terms are converted to legal, acceptable terms in each database.
The user's terms may be ambiguous; the system converts each such term to a
plurality of acceptable terms. A plurality of answers may be received.

g. where possible, the additional terms entered above will be used to solve
the ambiguity or reduce the number of possibilities.

h. The corrected search parameters are applied through the Internet to
search in various databases. Preferably, the various searches are applied
concurrently, and will open separate windows up to the number specified in
a parameter. Otherwise, searches may be performed consecutively.

i. the search results are compared with the additional terms entered above,
and the system will try, where possible, to solve the ambiguity or reduce
the number of answer.

j. the remaining results will be presented to the user.