How to Work with Rospatent's Patent Database: A Practical Guide for Lawyers, Inventors and Businesses

Introduction

The Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) is the government agency responsible for legal protection of intellectual property objects in Russia. Its official patent database is a key tool for searching, analyzing and verifying patents, utility models, industrial designs, trademarks and other IP objects.

For patent attorneys, R&D departments, startups and rights holders, it is important to know how to effectively use Rospatent's resources, especially when conducting prior art searches, assessing patentability, analyzing Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) or monitoring competitors.

Below is a detailed guide on working with Rospatent's official patent databases.

1. Official Sources of Rospatent Patent Information

1.1. FIPS — Open Registries (Official Website)

• Free access to complete patent documents
• Updated daily
• Supports search by:
  • Application/patent number
  • Object name
  • Applicant / rights holder
  • Inventor
  • IPC (International Patent Classification)
  • Filing/publication date

1.2. Registries by IP Object Types

Separate databases are available on the FIPS website:

• Inventions (invention patents, term — 20 years)
• Utility models (term — 10 years, with possibility of extension)
• Industrial designs (term — up to 25 years with extensions)
• Trademarks and service marks
• Computer programs and databases
• Selection achievements

Each database has its own search interface and data presentation format.

1.3. Electronic Document Library (EBD)

• Allows searching through full texts of patent descriptions
• Supports keyword search within description text, not just in titles
• Especially useful when conducting prior art searches

2. Main Types of Patents in the Russian Federation

Type	Term	Substantive Examination	Features
Invention	20 years (extendable to 25 years for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals)	Yes	Requires novelty, inventive step, industrial applicability
Utility Model	10 years (extendable by 3 years)	No (formal examination only)	Protects technical solutions related to devices
Industrial Design	Up to 25 years (with periodic extensions)	Yes	Protects the appearance of a product

3. Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Search Patents in Rospatent's Database

Step 1. Define Your Search Objective

• Novelty check before filing an application?
• Competitor patent landscape analysis?
• Infringement search?
• Preparation for licensing?

Step 2. Go to https://www.fips.ru → "Open Registries"

Step 3. Select the Required Registry (e.g., "Inventions")

Step 4. Use Filters:

• Document number — if known, e.g., RU2800000C1
• Rights holder — enter exact name (case insensitive, but better to use official name)
• IPC — e.g., A61K (pharmaceuticals), G06F (computing systems)
• Date range — especially useful for tracking activity over the last 5 years

Step 5. Analyze Results

Pay attention to the protective document status:

• "Active"
• "Terminated early" (e.g., due to non-payment of fees)
• "Patent invalid" (by court or Rospatent decision)

Download the document — this is an official source suitable for court.

Step 6. Use EBD for Semantic Search

If you are searching for solutions on a topic rather than by a specific owner — enter keywords in the Electronic Library. For example: "catalytic exhaust gas neutralizer".

4. Legally Significant Elements in Patent Documents

When analyzing a patent from Rospatent's database, pay attention to:

• Claims — these define the scope of legal protection
• Description — helps interpret the claims but does not expand them
• Priority date — critical for assessing novelty
• Rights holder and chain of assignments — especially important for M&A or licensing
• Fee information — non-payment may mean the patent has lapsed

5. Limitations and Pitfalls

• Language: Russian only. No English version available.
• Text search: Does not always work due to scanned PDFs.
• Publication delays: Applications are published after 18 months, utility models — faster.
• No semantic AI search: Unlike Patentics or Lens.org, FIPS offers only classic search.

6. Alternative Tools (for Supplementation)

• Espacenet (EPO) — contains Russian patents, but not all (especially utility models and industrial designs).
• Google Patents — convenient, but data may be outdated or incomplete.
• Lens.org — powerful free tool with analytics, but for RF — not a replacement for FIPS.

7. Practical Tips

• Regularly monitor by key IPC codes — set up an Excel tracker or use scripts.
• Save PDF copies of patents — they have legal force.
• Check fees through "Applicant's Personal Account" (registration required).
• When working with foreign partners — provide official extracts from FIPS (can be obtained through "FIPS Request").

Conclusion

Rospatent's patent database (through FIPS) is a reliable, free and legally significant source of information. Despite its outdated interface, it remains the main tool for patent searching in Russia. The ability to work with it is an essential skill for patent attorneys, IP lawyers and innovative companies.