Request a Quote
—  Prior Art Search & Analysis

Design Patent Search

Our Design Patent Search concentrates on the visual aspect of an innovation, letting you find potential infringers or prior art.

  • 4,000+projects delivered
  • 70+clients
  • 12+years in practice
  • 6 yrsaverage engineer experience

We locate the pertinent design classifications and term sets, then use them to build a search plan that thoroughly examines the designs across a given technical domain.

Who It Is For

  • Innovative businesses looking for outstanding designs.
  • Businesses creating or releasing new products.
  • Parties preparing to contest the validity of a design.
  • Companies looking to identify prior art that a newly released product design may have infringed.
  • Industries such as electronics, automotive, clothing, jewellery and packaging, among others.

Why Consider Synoptic IP

Class-based and keyword-based searching

We search on design classifications as well as keywords, so results are not limited to whatever the applicant happened to call the product.

Results ranked by relevance

Findings are classified by how close they are — Identical, Nearly Identical, and Related designs — so you can see at a glance where the real risk sits.

A final report with opinions

The final report carries our opinion on each design, which is what makes it usable rather than just a list of references.

Client Testimonials

Words From Our Clients

Verified LinkedIn reviews and client correspondence from patent attorneys and in-house IP teams who come back to us project after project.

LinkedIn review
★★★★★

I used Synoptic for a validity search and was pleased with the results. The rates were highly competitive, the deliverable was on time, and the results were as good as (if not better than) other searches I’ve used.

Erin J. FoxErin J. FoxIntellectual Property Counsel · ITWPublic & verified
LinkedIn review
★★★★★

Ankit did a very thorough and professional job on a claim chart assignment for us. He showed great perseverance when things got difficult and was able to get the job done. I would work with him again.

Eric BrownEric BrownIP Consultant · Building Viable Licensing ProgramsPublic & verified
Client email
★★★★★

Thank you — the search was quite helpful. We’ll have your invoice processed promptly.

Patent AttorneyQuarles & Brady · Client since 2018Name withheld
Client email
★★★★★

Thank you for your work on this matter. We were pleased with the search and will consider you for future searches.

Patent AttorneyMerchant & Gould · Client since 2018Name withheld
Client email
★★★★★

We were very pleased with the patentability and FTO report that you produced for us back in November 2024.

Client ContactFrontierBio · Client since 2024Name withheld

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a design patent search?

The technique of finding existing design patents in the public domain through patent databases. Companies can carry these searches out internally or with the help of an outside vendor.

Where can you run a design patent search?

Free searches are possible on the websites of the European Patent Office (EPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and Google Patents.

How much does a design patent search cost?

A design patent search carried out by a search firm might range from USD 150 to USD 2,000.

Why are design patent searches important?

They help with:

Who should run a design patent search?

Any business or inventor seeking a design patent should search thoroughly before filing with the relevant patent office. It matters most for businesses selling products where shoppers place a high value on appearance — ornamental designs on jewellery, cars, furniture, watches, smartphones, consumer goods and household appliances.

Looking for a First-Class Patent Search Consultant?

Get Quotes Now!

Read More on Our Blogs

Explore more on our blogs to have a better understanding of our services.

Ankit Saxena, Head of Hi-Tech Patent Research at Synoptic IP
Reviewed ByAnkit Saxena Head of Hi-Tech Patent Research

Founder of Synoptic IP with 15 years in prior art research and patent analysis. Ankit reviews the search methodology behind this service.

View full profile