Validity/Invalidity search is a prior art search to check the validity of a patent. Prior arts which may have been missed during examination of patent application are intended to be found in this search. Below are circumstances where validity/invalidity searches are useful
- If client is interested to sue a party for a infringing product, client may check the validity of the patent in question before entering into the litigation
- Under litigation, a defendant can ask for the invalidity of a patent which is asserted
- Before buying a patent, this kind of search for the patent can be requested by client to know its validity