Boolean search is a type of patent searching that enables the users to find relevant results by combining keywords with Boolean operators. Boolean operators are used in all types of patent searching including the patentability search, validity/ invalidity search, prior art searching/ novelty search and the like.
What are boolean operators?
Boolean Operators are simple words used as conjunctions to combine or exclude keywords in a patent search.
General boolean operators are:
1.AND,
2.OR,
3.NOT
The above mention boolean operators are either used alone or in combination to produce focused and productive results by eliminating inappropriate hits.
LET US UNDERSTAND THE BOOLEAN OPERATORS
From the above, we can see if we use OR we have broader results while using AND the results are narrowed down. NOT excludes the results having that specified keyword.
Let us understand more with examples:
The pictorial snapshot illustrates applications containing tennis and applications containing a ball.
The pictorial snapshot illustrates applications containing both tennis and ball.
The pictorial snapshot illustrates results of applications containing either tennis or ball.
The pictorial snapshot illustrates applications containing ball but not the word tennis and applications containing the word tennis but not ball.
From the above examples, boolean searching can easily be understood.
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