Introduction

The PatentSight search panel comes with options that allow you to search for prior art and subsequent art of a patent family or a patent portfolio, e.g., by X or Y citation.

The search fields "Patent Family", "Owner", and "Tag" allow you to search for the prior art or subsequent art of the patent families defined in each of them. These settings are particularly useful when you are trying to spot upcoming trends early on, to look for related technologies, or to find out who is building on a certain patent portfolio or existing technology. One example is the citation analysis of the swatch portfolio: PatentSight indicators showed that Apple was working on a watch-related products years before the Apple Watch was launched or even rumored about.

Citation Analysis settings of the Search Fields "Patent Family"

Select "Number" from the tool bar to add the search field "Patent Family." After you have added this search field, you can limit your result set to the patent families related to the publication or application numbers that you add to it.

Next, click on the drop-down arrow to adjust the settings of this search field.

Setting of Search Fields	Search Results
Patent Family	The LexisNexis family (also referred as "patent family" or "family") of the document you have entered.
Prior Art	The patent family that is cited by the patent families returned as search results. In the search panel, the patent family selected is set as prior art. Consequently, the search results are patent families that are citing the patent family selected.
Subsequent Art	The patent family that is citing the patent families returned as search results. In the search panel, the patent family selected is set as subsequent art. Consequently, the search results are patent families that are cited by the patent family selected.

By applying the setting "Prior Art" or "Subsequent Art," you can search for patent families that are citing or cited by the patent family(ies) in the search panel.

Citation Analysis Settings of the Search Field "Owner"

Select "Owner" from the tool bar to add the search field "Owner." After you have added this search field, you can limit your result set to the patent portfolio(s) of the owner(s) that you add to it.Click on the drop-down arrow to adjust the settings of this search field.

Search Field Setting	Search Result
Owner	Patent families owned by the owner(s) you have selected.
Owner of Active Prior Art	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) active patent families that belong to the portfolio(s) of the owner(s) selected.
Owner of Active Subsequent Art	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) active patent families that belong to the portfolio(s) of the owner(s) selected.
Owner of Prior Art	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) both active and inactive patent families that belong to the portfolio(s) of the owner(s) selected.
Owner of Prior Art Active Today	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) patent families that belong to the portfolio(s) of the owner(s)selected and are active at the most recent Reporting Date.
Owner of Subsequent Art	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) patent families that belong to the portfolio(s) of the owner(s) selected and are active at the most recent Reporting Date.
Owner of Subsequent Art Active Today	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) patent families that belong to the portfolio(s) of the owner(s) selected and are active at the most recent Reporting Date.

By applying the settings "Owner of Prior Art" or "Owner of Subsequent Art", you can search for patent families that are citing or cited by the patent families belonging to one or more owners of your choice.

Citation Analysis Settings of the Search Filed "Tag"

Select "Tag" from the tool bar to add the search field "Tag." After you have added this search field, you can limit your result set to the patent families of the tag(s) that you add to it.

Click on the drop-down arrow to adjust the settings of this search field.

Search Field Setting	Search Result
Tag	Patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected.
Tags of active subsequent art	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) active patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected.
Tags of active subsequent art (Category X)	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) active patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X.
Tags of active subsequent art (Category X or Y)	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) active patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X or Y.
Tags of subsequent art	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) both active and inactive patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected.
Tags of subsequent art (Category X)	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) both active and inactive patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X.
Tags of subsequent art (Category X or Y)	Patent families cited by ( = prior art of) both active and inactive patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X or Y.
Tags of active prior art	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) active patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected.
Tags of active prior art (Category X)	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) active patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X.
Tags of active prior art (Category X or Y)	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) active patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X or Y.
Tags of prior art	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) both active and inactive patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected.
Tags of prior art (Category X)	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) both active and inactive patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X.
Tags of prior art (Category X, or Y)	Patent families citing ( = subsequent art of) both active and inactive patent families that belong to the tag(s) you have selected under category X or Y.

By selecting one of the settings related to category X or Y citations, you can limit your result set to patent families referenced in these examiner citations.