Guide to STN Patent Databases – Basic Version - Paton - TU Ilmenau

22.5 Family searches on STN
22.5.1 Family display formats
150
Guide to STN Patent Databases
In the international family databases there are specific display formats:
22.5.1.1 Family documents
Database Family format Description
DWPI IBIB Family information of one database document
HCAPLUS IBIB Family information of one database document
INPAFAMDB BRIEF De-duplicated format for the full family
In INPAFAMDB one family document alway comprises the complete family.
22.5.1.2 Full families
Datenbank Family format Desciption
DWPI 1- IBIB After the family has been searched
HCAPLUS 1- IBIB After the family has been searched
FAM, FBIB Family information of all database documents relating to one invention, especially to
display complex families
INPADOCDB/
INPAFAMDB
FAM All priority, application and publication numbers with association
CFAM Simple table of all publication numbers and details
SFAM Displays the narrow INPADOC family (EPO simple family)
FFAM Bibliographical details and legal status of all family members
FFAM.PC Country specific FFAM format, e. g.-FFAM.DE for German family members
MFAM FFAM format plus abstracts and citations
These formats are by example only. There are many more formats available in the databases (in particular in
INPAFAMDB).
22.5.2 Searching patent families using FSEARCH / FSORT commands
The FSEARCH and FSORT commands can be used for enhanced family searching in individual databases (e.g.
INPADOCDB, DWPI, HCAPLUS) and for cross-file family searches (e.g. DWPI, HCAPLUS). In INPAFAMDB the full family
is collected in one document, so the FSEARCH and FSORT commands are not needed.
Using FSEARCH the system automatically selects publication numbers and application numbers (PN, APPS) from a
previous search result and searches them in the database or databases of interest. This procedure is repeated until
no more documents are found (it stops after 4 iterations but can be started again). The starting point for FSEARCH
can be:
a publication number,
an application number,
an E numbers list or a L number (SELECT or SmartSELECT result),
a L number or L number list, or
a search profile.
FSEARCH always closes with a FSORT.
FSORT sorts an answer set (L number) to family groups by the publication and application numbers found. Two
records are considered to belong to the same patent family if the publication numbers, the application numbers or
the priority numbers match. The resulting patent families and the appropriate answers are listed.
Both commands are free of charge. Instead of using databases with search-term pricing, it is, however, advisable to
search H files (i.e. HCA, HPATENTS instead of CA, PATENTS) where search terms are not charged.
Following the FSORT procedure, the display command D PFAM 1- allows to display only one document of each
patent family. Any display format may be used together with PFAM.
FSORT can also be used to identify and/or eliminate duplicates in multi-file searches. The Patent family manager of
STN Express is very useful for this purpose (see Multifile search example).