Quick Start Guide - Design Patent

2024-09-11| Help Center|views(583)|Comments(1)

Amazon has strict regulations. Checking patents and following the rules ensures your store's reputation remains strong, leading to long-term business success. SellerSprite has launched a new [Design Patent] search feature, integrating a global patent database with over 180 million global patent records covering 170 countries/regions. Using AI image recognition, it efficiently identifies potential Design Patent infringement issues. Regular checks act like insurance for your business, helping avoid trouble and stay competitive.

Two Main Applications: Identifying Risks and Opportunities

Avoiding Infringement Risks

Design Patent infringement on Amazon means selling products whose design is similar or identical to an already registered patent without permission. Amazon and patent owners may take actions against infringing sellers, such as removing your product listings or even restricting or banning your Amazon account. Patent owners can also sue for infringement, potentially leading to significant compensation payments.
Therefore, during the product selection stage, ensure the products you plan to sell do not infringe on others' patents to avoid legal disputes and economic losses. SellerSprite's [Design Patent] feature is now integrated into various product selection functions, allowing you to check patent status while selecting products, thus avoiding infringement risks.

Product Differentiation

Discovering a market gap doesn’t mean giving up because a design has a patent. There are rarely untouched markets waiting for us to develop. By checking Design Patents, you can find unmet consumer needs within existing designs. This can inspire innovation or improvements, leading to differentiated products with new features, colors, shapes, or functions.
For example, after checking the Design Patent of a lunch box, you might find that slight adjustments in the internal compartment shapes and colors can qualify for a new patent. Similarly, consider making minor design adjustments to distinguish your products from existing ones.

Two Search Methods for Efficient Information Retrieval

Image Search

Drag or Click to Upload Images
You can upload images directly from your local storage by dragging or clicking.
Upload Product ASIN or Product Link
If you don’t have product images, you can input the product ASIN or link. The system will automatically fetch the main image and compare it with the patent database.

Then you can choose Smart Suggestions or Search this image
  • Smart Suggestions: Intelligently analyze the image and extract various characteristic elements for retrieval, helping to obtain more accurate and comprehensive appearance retrieval results
If the image is not clear (complex background, messy colors), or if you pay more attention to the outline of the object, and hope to retrieve the line drawing through the physical image, it is recommended to use the Smart Suggestions mode first.
 
  • Search this image: Search for design patents based on the pattern, shape, and color of the image itself
If you pay more attention to the overall information of the image (pattern, shape, color), it is recommended to use the Search this image mode first.
 
Fill in filters on the right side such as patent country, product keywords, LOC classification number, and applicant (patent owner) to quickly find accurate information.
  • Origin of Patent: The country or region where the patent is granted. Patents are protected only within the granting country.
  • Product Keywords: Keywords can quickly locate patents related to specific products or technical fields.
  • LOC Classification Number: Helps quickly search and identify relevant patents. Click [LOC Assistant] if unsure about the classification.
  • Applicant (Patentee): The individual or entity who registered the Design Patent.
To delete and re-input a product, move the mouse over the product image and click the delete button.
Click the "Search" button to get patent search results, sorted by image similarity in descending order. 
Click the corresponding patent result image to view patent details, including patent number and application time, and download as a PDF.
If results include other languages, such as Japanese (扇風機), it indicates the Design Patent is applied and protected in Japan.

Simple Search

Simple Search allows you to query the patent database by entering keywords, company names, personal names, patent numbers, etc. It helps to overcome mismatches that may occur in image searches due to issues like angle or color differences.

You can refine your search results further by adding filter conditions.

In addition to Design Patent, Simple Search also supports querying Invention Application, Granted Invention, and Utility Model.

Search results are sorted by relevance by default, but you can also choose to sort them by application date or publication date in ascending or descending order. 

By clicking the action button next to each patent, you can access the patent details page, view detailed information such as the patent number and application date, and download the file as a PDF.

Fees and Deduction Rules

SellerSprite's [Design Patent] search feature charges per search. Click the purchase link.
Annual package users have free quotas, visible after logging into your account.
Note:
  1. Purchase in fixed packages: 50, 100, 300, 500 searches.
  2. Searches are not time-limited (unused searches remain valid even after the package expires).
  3. Free users can also purchase Design Patent search times without needing a membership.
Deduction Rules:
  1. Changing the image for a search costs 1 search.
  2. Changing filter conditions costs 1 search.
  3. Repeating the same image search within 9 hours won’t cost additional searches (using “Smart Suggestions” and “Search this Image” counts as 2 searches).
  4. Viewing the first 100 results costs 1 search, each subsequent 100 results costs an additional search.
Since search results are sorted by image similarity, it’s recommended to focus only on the top 100 results as later ones may be less relevant.

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