LibGuides: Engineering Subject Guide: Finding patents and standards

What are patents?

Patents grant rights to inventors in exchange for publicly disclosing their inventions.

The following things can be patented:

a product;
an apparatus or device;
composition of matter;
a process (includes software, algorithms, genetic engineering, etc.);
an improvement on the above categories.

The patent must be useful, novel and non-obvious.

Standard UK patents give protection for 20 years (although they do need to be renewed after the first four years, and annually after that). Drug patents can be extended by an additional 5 years. Patents only apply in the country where they are patented e.g. a UK patent applies only in the UK. Someone could manufacture a similar product in Spain and sell it in Spain, but they couldn’t sell it in the UK.

Finding patents

References for patents are normally two letters followed by a string of numbers, e.g., GB2523978; US7345671; US3633. An (A), (A1) or similar at the end of the patent normally indicates an application - a patent application does not mean the patent has been awarded. In the UK a new patent number is issued when an application becomes a patent, in the US the same number is used.

Espacenet This link opens in a new window
Use Espacenet to search for patents and patent applications from over 100 countries.

With a few exceptions, patents are publicly available. In the UK, access to patents covering "military technology or prejudicial to national security or public safety" may be restricted. Patent offices in other countries will have similar restrictions.

What are standards?

A standard is a formal document, produced by a standards organisation, which establishes engineering or technical criteria, methods, processes, or practices. The Society for Standardization Professionals have a useful FAQ about standards, which explains the different types of standards and the jargon used in this field.

Finding standards

BS/Eurocode/EN/IEC/ISO

Try BSI Standards:

BSI Standards (BSOL online) This link opens in a new window
Standards define best practice in many different areas. They’re put together by groups of experts and come in a number of different kinds, from a set of definitions to a series of strict rules.
Please note that this is a restricted account and we don't have access to all the standards. You will need to install FileOpen software to download the standards to your own computer.
For off-campus access select 'Institutional login' and login with your University of Dundee username and password.

Eurocode/SD

Try the Construction Information Service:

Construction Information Service (provided by IHS Technical Indexes) This link opens in a new window
The Construction Information Service includes current regulations, construction standards and industry news covering building, engineering, and design and construction processes. Provides access to relevant British standards, CIBSE documents and other technical data
For off-campus access use your University of Dundee username and password

IEEE Std/IEEE P

Try IEEE Digital Library (also called IEEE XPlore)

IEEE Xplore This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This resource includes journals and conference proceedings from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Coverage is complete since 1988, and with select content from 1872
For off-campus access select Institutional sign in, then select Shibboleth. Search for University of Dundee and login with username and password.

More sources

Abbreviation	Sources
API Recommended Practice ### API Standard YYYY-####	American Petroleum Institute publications. Read only versions of these are available on the API website. Create an account at http://publications.api.org/Default.aspx . Then login and browse to the standard.
ASTM	American Society for Testing Materials. If you are a member of IMechE you can get ASTM standards through the IMechE library. (Undergraduate STEM students can get free membership of IMechE.)
BS ####-#:YYYY BS EN #####:YYYY BS ISO ####:YYYY BS IEC #####-#:YYYY	British standards available from the British Standard Institute (BSI) - see links at the end of this table.
Eurocodes	British standards available from the British Standard Institute (BSI) and from the Construction Information Service - see links at the end of this table.
EN #####:YYYY	EN standards are European Standards from CEN, CENELEC or ETSI. Many of these are co-published as a British Standards - see links at the end of this table.
IEC #####-#:YYYY	Many IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards are co-published as British Standards a BS equivalent - see links at the end of this table.
IEEE Std ####-YYYY IEEE P###.###	IEEE standards are available from IEEE Digital Library (also called "IEEE XPlore") - see links at the end of this table.
ISO ####:YYYY	Many ISO (International Standards Organisation) standards are co-published as British Standards a BS equivalent - see links at the end of this table.
SD 2## SD 5##	BREEAM Standards are available from the Construction Information Service

The Society for Standards Professionals has links to many more standards providers, including government and trade-related bodies. You can use this page to decode unfamiliar abbreviations.