I want to file something for protection
I check whether your solution has a real chance at a patent — before you invest in a filing.
Patentability search →INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY PROTECTION
Patent searches
I check whether your solution has a real chance at a patent, and whether it infringes anyone else's rights — before you invest in a filing or a market launch. I read patents like an engineer, not just like a lawyer.
PLN 0 — initial case assessment. Everything you share with me is treated as confidential.
FIG. 01 / WHERE TO START
Where to start? It depends on what you're planning
Patent searches answer two different questions — and it's very easy to mix them up. One is: "can I patent this?" The other: "can I legally sell this?" They're not the same thing. Your solution can be patentable and still infringe someone else's patent — or the other way around. Tell me where you are, and I'll point you to the right path.
I want to bring something to market
I check whether you can legally sell it — without infringing patents held by others.
Freedom-to-operate (FTO) search →FIG. 02 / TWO SEARCH PATHS
Which path should you take?
Depending on where you are, you need a different search. Both paths side by side — pick yours.
Want to file an invention?
First check whether it's worth it
Filing a patent costs money and takes years. It would be a shame to go through all of that only to find out at the end that someone described a similar solution before you did. A patentability search reviews the prior art and shows whether your solution is new and inventive enough to even apply for protection.
This search is done before filing. It tells you whether the investment is worth making, and lets you refine the solution to improve your chances — instead of learning about obstacles only from an office action.
from PLN 3,500
net
patentability / prior-art search
If the result is positive, I'll guide you further — see what filing looks like on the Patents and utility models page →
Bringing a product to market?
Check you're not stepping on someone else's patent
You can build a solution entirely on your own and still infringe someone else's patent — with no bad intent, simply not knowing it exists. And the cost of that mistake shows up at the worst possible time: after you've already invested in production and market launch. That's when claims — and even a sales ban — come into play.
A freedom-to-operate (FTO) search checks whether manufacturing, selling and importing your product infringes on other parties' patents currently in force in specific markets. I analyze the current legal status of third-party patents and what their claims actually cover — because the claims are what set the boundaries of protection. This search is done before entering the market, and it's worth repeating as the project develops, because patent status changes over time.
from PLN 8,000
net
FTO analysis — final scope depends on the product and markets
FIG. 03 / WHEN THE RESULT IS NEGATIVE
Found a blocking patent? That's not a dead end
A negative result is information, not a verdict
A negative search result isn't a verdict — it's information that lets you act before things get expensive. There are usually a few routes: redesign the solution to work around someone else's claims, try to obtain a license, check whether the blocking patent can be invalidated at all, or focus on markets where the protection doesn't apply. Once I've analyzed the situation, I'll tell you which of these routes makes sense for you.
FIG. 04 / EXTENDED SEARCHES
When you need something more
Not every question fits into a single search. For teams planning further ahead, I also run broader searches.
Patent landscaping
A map of patents in your field: what competitors are doing, where the open space for development is.
See →Patent monitoring
Ongoing tracking of new filings, so you don't miss a move that affects you.
See →Invalidation search
When you want to challenge a patent standing in your way.
See →FIG. 05 / PROCESS
What it looks like step by step
-
01
We set the goal and scope
This determines how accurate the whole search is: exactly what we're searching, and in which markets.
-
02
I search the patent literature
Patent databases, for solutions relevant to your case.
-
03
I check the legal status
Whether the patents found are still in force.
-
04
I analyze the claims
What they actually protect, and how that relates to your solution.
-
05
You get an opinion with a recommendation
A clear conclusion and a proposal for next steps.
FIG. 06 / EXPERTISE
The value of a search depends on who's interpreting the claims
I read patents like an engineer
Risk assessment in a patent search isn't about finding documents — it's about understanding what they actually protect. And that requires reading a patent with an understanding of the technology, not just the law. I'm a habilitated doctor of materials engineering and a patent attorney in one, so I analyze your solution and other parties' patents the way an engineer would — and explain the result in language that actually helps you decide.
Get to know meFIG. 07 / COSTS
How much a patent search costs
We start risk-free: the initial case assessment is free. Only once we know exactly what's involved do I set the scope and price.
Assessment and consultation (net)
PLN 0–650
PLN 0 — initial case assessment. PLN 500 — consultation (up to 60 min). PLN 650 — technical-patent consultation (up to 90 min).
Patentability search (net)
from PLN 3,500
A prior-art search before filing — whether the solution has a real chance at protection.
Freedom-to-operate / FTO search (net)
from PLN 8,000
An analysis of infringement risk before entering the market. Scope depends on the product and markets.
Net prices. The final quote depends on the scope of the search and the number of markets.
FIG. 08 / WHO IT'S FOR
Who I most often work with on searches
I run patent searches for companies and R&D teams preparing to implement a solution, as well as for universities and research institutes that want to secure their research results before taking the next step. If you're not sure which search you need — let's start with a conversation.
Patents and utility models
When the patentability search comes back positive and you want to file the solution.
See →IP protection strategies
When you're thinking about the whole picture: what, where and in what order to protect.
See →Offer for companies and R&D → Offer for universities and institutes →
FIG. 09 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions about patent searches
Patentability answers the question "can I patent this?" and concerns your own solution. Freedom to operate (FTO) answers the question "can I legally sell this?" and concerns other parties' patents in force. These are two independent things — you can have one without the other.
No — and no honest professional will promise that. A search significantly reduces risk and gives you a solid basis for a decision, but it's not a guarantee. I always say clearly where certainty ends and risk assessment begins.
It depends on the scope and the field. After the initial assessment, I'll give you a realistic timeline before we start.
No. A patent is a territorial right, so I set up the search for the specific markets you want to operate in.
Then we move on to the options: design-around, license, an attempt at invalidation, or choosing other markets. A negative result is a starting point for a decision, not the end of the road.
Yes. As a patent attorney I'm bound by professional secrecy — what you describe to me stays between us.
Don't see your question here? Describe your solution and I'll give you a concrete answer.
Write to me