Legal Definitions - CASSIS/BIB

CASSIS/BIB refers to a specific database within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) larger Classification and Search Support Information System (CASSIS). This particular database contains bibliographic information for patents, meaning essential descriptive details such as the patent number, title, inventor, assignee (the owner), and filing dates. This information is meticulously organized and searchable based on the official classification codes assigned to each patent, which categorize inventions by their technical field. Essentially, CASSIS/BIB serves as a structured resource to help users efficiently locate and identify patents based on their descriptive information and technical categories.

Here are a few examples of how CASSIS/BIB might be used:

• Imagine a patent examiner at the USPTO is reviewing a new patent application for an innovative method of purifying water using nanotechnology. To determine if the invention is truly new and non-obvious, the examiner needs to search for existing patents (known as "prior art") in similar technological areas. They would utilize CASSIS/BIB to search for patents classified under "water treatment," "nanotechnology," or "filtration systems." The database would quickly provide bibliographic details of relevant patents, allowing the examiner to efficiently identify existing inventions that might be similar to the current application.

• A patent attorney is advising a client who wants to develop a new type of smart home security system that uses artificial intelligence to detect unusual activity. Before investing heavily in research and development, the client wants to understand the existing patent landscape in this field. The attorney could use CASSIS/BIB to search for patents classified under "home security," "artificial intelligence," or "sensor networks." The database would provide a list of relevant patents with their key bibliographic data, helping the attorney and client identify competitors, potential licensing opportunities, or areas where their invention could be truly unique and patentable.

• An independent inventor is developing a novel type of electric vehicle battery with extended range and faster charging capabilities. To ensure their invention is novel and to understand the state of the art, they might access CASSIS/BIB (often through a patent search professional or a public patent search facility). By searching classifications related to "electric vehicles," "battery technology," or "energy storage," they can retrieve bibliographic details of existing patents. This helps them learn about previous inventions in the field, identify potential collaborators, or refine their own invention to avoid infringing on existing patents and to highlight its unique aspects.