LibAnswers: Library answers

Standards and patents are important sources of information in science, technology and business.  There are a number of databases that the Library subscribes to that you can use to access standards and patents, many with full-text access.

 

Standards
A standard sets out a technical specification or other precise criteria to which manufacturers and service providers are required or recommended to conform. Laws or regulations may make it obligatory to comply with a particular standard.

 

British Standards Online  provides access to the full text of British. EU and ISO standards, which you can view and print.

 

ETSI  (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) produces standards for telecommunications and computing.  They are free-of-charge.

 

ASTM Compass . ASTM standards are used and accepted worldwide and cover areas such as metals, paints, plastics, textiles, petroleum, construction, energy, the environment, consumer products, medical services, devices and electronics, advanced materials and much more.

Patents

A patent protects a new invention by giving the inventor the right to prevent others from making, using or selling it without permission. A patent provides a detailed description of what an invention does, how it works and what it is made of. Patents can be an important source of information about very recent developments that have not yet been described in journal articles or conference papers.  They can also provide you with an overview of recent technical developments in an area.  The full text of a patent can often be found free-of-charge on the web.

 

 

The two main specialist databases for patents are:

 

Esp@cenet is a worldwide network of patent databases. The availability of full text depends on individual countries. There is an excellent interactive tutorial on their website on finding and using patents.

 

Google Patent Search  provides comprehensive coverage of US patents. Many are available in full text as .pdfs.

 

Lens.org. The Lens is a free and open resource used to find, analyze, and manage patent and scholarly data.