USPTO launches AI-assisted search tool SimSearch to assist patent examination

Since September 2022, examiners at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have been using SimSearch, an AI-assisted search tool, for prior art searches. This tool helps examiners more efficiently identify similar comparative documents for the searched content. However, examiners retain full discretion in deciding whether to apply search results.

SimSearch was designed as a supplemental search tool, available to examiners through the USPTO's internal search tool, Patents End-to-End (PE2E) Search. PE2E Search is a web-based system powered by a modern cloud platform. SimSearch generates AI-powered search queries from the application text being searched and provides ranked search results. SimSearch can be easily updated as the application text is updated due to amendments. Furthermore, SimSearch allows examiners to refine search results by highlighting specific application information, enabling faster and more convenient identification of relevant prior art and similar documents.

With the increasing application of artificial intelligence technology in the patent examination process, the launch of SimSearch undoubtedly provides new possibilities for improving patent examination efficiency. This tool not only significantly reduces the workload of manual searches but also improves the accuracy of search results to a certain extent, making it a valuable tool for examiners proficient in search techniques.