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Patent Information Users Group, Inc.

The International Society for Patent Information Professionals

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Patent Information Users Group, Inc.  The International Society for Patent Information Professionals

Join us at one of our regular or annual events.



Upcoming events

    • 05 May 2024
    • 1:00 PM
    • 31 Dec 2027
    • 5:00 PM
    • The Drake Hotel, 140 East Walton Place, Chicago, IL 60611
    • 85
    Registration is closed

    INSTRUCTOR: John Zabilski Chair, PIUG Education & Training Committee

    Registered US Patent Agent (No. 59,626)

    Qualified Patent Information Professional (No. 20190010100257)

    Build a strong foundation of essential patent information and techniques for effective patent searching.

    Learn necessary patent law concepts, bibliographic search skills including ways to identify expert witnesses, comprehensive keyword approaches for specific search types, and basics of alternative strategies including classification, citation and semantic searching.

    While this course is ideal for newer searchers including paralegals and patent agents it also provides a strong refresher for more experienced IP professionals. Included are practical applications and opportunities to reinforce concepts with interactive search examples.

    Some of what is included in this course:

    • Types and parts of patent publications
    • Basics of U.S. Patent Law
    • Essential International Patent Law
    • Patent timelines covering publication stages
    • Identifying patent search resources
    • Database coverage, content and structure
    • Search approaches including bibliographic, keyword, classification, citation, full-text and indexed content
    • Building comprehensive search statements using search operators and command language techniques including nesting, truncation, wildcards and stemming
    • Contrasting search features across free and commercial resources
    • Necessary steps for different search types: Patentability, Freedom to Operate and Validity
    • Practical search examples and opportunities to apply these techniques

      This course is offered as in-person or virtual participation. Note: Those members who are registered for the PIUG Conference as well are given an additional $50 discount.  Virtual registrants for the course will be sent a link for the course within one week prior to the start.

      • 19 Feb 2025
      • 10:00 AM
      • 28 Feb 2030
      • 11:30 AM
      • Zoom
      Register

      Instructor:  John Zabilski

      Learn essential information and techniques to effectively search for patent information.

      • Understanding database coverage, content and structure
      • Balancing precision versus recall
      • Comparing search types including bibliographic, keyword, classification, citation, full-text and indexed content
      • Building comprehensive search statements using search operators and command language techniques including nesting, truncation, wildcards and stemming
      • Contrasting search features across free and commercial resources
      • Considering necessary steps for different search types: Patentability, Freedom to Operate and Validity
      • Practical search example applying these techniques
      NOTE:  Before registering for any of the individual webinars , please consider registering for the complete series to save money.  Register for the Series HERE!
      • 19 May 2026
      • 9:00 PM
      • 21 May 2026
      • 6:30 PM
      • Convene Conference Center, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
      Register

      PIUG 2026 Joint Annual and Biotech Conference

      Tuesday, May 19 - Thursday, May 21, 2026

      Convene Conference Center

      Two Commerce Square

      2001 Market Street

      Philadelphia, PA 19103

      As papers are submitted and the program develops, be sure to check for updates to the preliminary program and other related conference webpages.

      The plenary sessions will begin after a Welcome Reception and run through through late Thursday afternoon, but you’ll have many great opportunities to learn and connect throughout the conference. More details will be posted later as the program is developed.

      • Tuesday, May 19: Welcome Reception, Plenary Sessions and Opportunities for informal dine-arounds in the evening. 
      • Wednesday, May 20: Plenary Sessions and Opportunities for informal dine-arounds in the evening. 
      • Thursday, May 21: Plenary Sessions.

    Past events

    04 Feb 2026 QPIP Exam Patent Infringement Risk Search & Freedom-to Operate
    03 Feb 2026 QPIP Exam Patent Landscaping Theory Questions & Patent Landscaping Case Study
    21 Jan 2026 QPIP Exam Novelty/Opposition/Validity & Categorization Analysis
    20 Jan 2026 QPIP Exam Overview, Tips for Passing the Exam, Skills Syllabus, General Theory Section
    15 Oct 2025 RAVE (Reporting Analytics Visualization Evaluation)
    21 May 2025 PIUG 2025 Annual Business Meeting
    04 May 2025 2025 Conference Workshops
    03 Apr 2025 Introduction to Patent Analytics and Technical Intelligence
    19 Mar 2025 Finding and Understanding Legal Status Information
    12 Mar 2025 Patent Searching – Beyond the Basics
    27 Feb 2025 Patent Classification
    12 Feb 2025 Choosing and Evaluating Patent Searching Resources
    18 Dec 2024 How to Leverage Patent Landscape Studies for Strategic Competitive Intelligence
    11 Dec 2024 Introduction and Update on the Unitary Patent
    20 Nov 2024 PCT Patent Law and Practice for Patent Information Professionals
    13 Nov 2024 European and PCT Patent Law and Practice for Patent Information Professionals
    13 Nov 2024 European Patent Law and Practice for Patent Information Professionals
    16 Oct 2024 Leveraging AI to Ensure Comprehensive and Cost-Effective Patent Searches
    22 May 2024 PIUG 2024 Annual Business Meeting
    08 May 2024 2024 Conference Workshops
    06 May 2024 Ballgame Group Outing - Cubs vs Padres
    17 Apr 2024 Best Practices for Citation Searching Webinar
    21 Feb 2024 Navigating the Future: AI-Guided Search from a User's Perspective
    07 Feb 2024 Navigating the Future: Enhancing Patent Searches Through AI Mastery
    17 Jan 2024 Honing Your Skills: Saving Time and Money While Looking Awesome to Your Clients
    13 Dec 2023 Best Practices for Validity and Opposition Supporting Patent Searches
    15 Nov 2023 Best Practices: Novel Approaches for Novelty Searching
    27 Sep 2023 Best Practices for Identifying Freedom-to-Operate
    26 Jul 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Additional Points about Classification Websites as Sources for Searching; Addressing 10 Common Mistakes in Classification Searching.
    12 Jul 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Detailed Examination of the FI System + User Tools for Developing FI & F-term Search Strategies
    28 Jun 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Detailed Examination of the CPC (Part 2 of 2) + User Tools for Developing CPC Search Strategies
    14 Jun 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Overview of Weakness & Strengths of Different Classification Systems + Detailed Examination of the CPC (Part 1 of 2)
    17 May 2023 PIUG 2023 Annual Business Meeting
    01 May 2023 Evening Dinner Cruise and River Tour
    30 Apr 2023 PIUG 2023 Annual Conference
    19 Apr 2023 Patent Law for Searchers
    15 Mar 2023 Best Practices for Searching IP5 Literature
    15 Feb 2023 Best Practices for Searching Non-Patent Literature
    18 Jan 2023 The Unitary Patent (UP) and Unified Patent Court (UPC)
    14 Dec 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Medical Devices Information
    16 Nov 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Biotechnology Information
    19 Oct 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Chemical Patent Information
    28 Sep 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Engineering Technologies
    10 May 2022 PIUG 2022 Annual Business Meeting
    01 May 2022 PIUG 2022 Annual Conference
    01 Mar 2022 STN Workshop: What's New in STNext
    01 Mar 2022 BizInt Workshop: What's New - Creating IP Sequence Reports with BizInt Smart Charts for Patents
    01 Mar 2022 GenomeQuest Workshop: What’s New in 2022
    01 Mar 2022 Questel Workshop
    15 Dec 2021 Finding and Understanding Legal Status Information
    15 Sep 2021 Understanding Intellectual Property for Patent Searchers
    15 Sep 2021 Virtual Patent Searching Fundamentals Course (7 Sessions)
    08 Jun 2021 PIUG 2021 Annual Business Meeting
    28 May 2021 STN Patent Forum
    24 May 2021 BizInt: What's New in BizInt Smart Charts?
    24 May 2021 Clarivate: The Trifecta of Expert Curated Data: SequenceBase, Derwent Innovation & Innography
    24 May 2021 Relativity: Introducing Patent Search & Analytics from Relativity
    24 May 2021 IFI Claims: Direct Data in Tableau
    24 May 2021 Aptean: GenomeQuest Discover Analysis – Prioritization and Annotation Strategies
    24 May 2021 Minesoft: The changing face of patent software solutions, what’s next on the horizon at Minesoft?
    24 May 2021 Questel: Orbit BioSequence and the many uses of combinations
    24 May 2021 WIPO: WIPO’s global patent database PATENTSCOPE: what’s new?
    24 May 2021 Ambercite: The Importance of Alternative Search Methodologies – How Ambercite can enhance your search capabilities
    24 May 2021 EPO: Taming the dragon: how to tackle CN legal event data
    24 May 2021 PIUG 2021 Combined Annual and Biotechnology Virtual Conference
    09 Dec 2020 Legal Status - Webinar Series
    30 Oct 2020 USPTO Initiatives: Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
    30 Oct 2020 STN Patent Forum
    30 Oct 2020 AI assisted reading for faster understanding of patent texts
    26 Oct 2020 Expanding Patentability: A Novel Approach Using a Non-Obvious Data Source
    26 Oct 2020 Preferred Patent Lineup and Automated Antibody Search Report
    26 Oct 2020 Get Up To Date with BizInt Smart Charts
    26 Oct 2020 Meet the new Derwent Innovation
    26 Oct 2020 Part 1 - What's new in Orbit Intelligence?; Part 2 - FAMPAT FOUNDATIONS, Detecting and Repairing the Dysfunctional Family
    26 Oct 2020 Introducing PatBase 2.0, the biggest ever update to the PatBase
    26 Oct 2020 Why another monitoring tool? FIZ PatMon – Specific, Broad, and Flexible
    26 Oct 2020 PIUG 2020 Annual Conference
    13 May 2020 PIUG 2020 Annual Business Meeting
    25 Feb 2020 PIUG 2020 Biotechnology Conference
    23 Sep 2019 PIUG 2019 Northeast Regional Conference
    08 May 2019 “The wonderful world of WIPO standards”
    08 May 2019 Artificial Intelligence Basics for Patent Professionals
    08 May 2019 Leveraging CPC for Search
    05 May 2019 Delivering Patent Analytics With a Punch
    05 May 2019 Updates to PatBase & PatDocs, introducing IPShare and What to Expect Next from Minesoft…
    05 May 2019 Latest Innovations: optimize your IP analysis
    05 May 2019 Advances in Sequence Searching: GQ Discover Browser, Sequence Variation Discovery Module and CAS BiosequencesTM Access
    05 May 2019 Get Up to Date with BizInt Smart Charts for Patents
    05 May 2019 Patent Portfolio Maintenance: Benchmarking Current Practices
    05 May 2019 Google Patents for Power Users
    05 May 2019 Google Patents Public Datasets
    04 May 2019 PIUG Fundamentals of Patent Searching
    04 May 2019 PIUG Introduction to Patent Searching and Fundamentals
    04 May 2019 PIUG Introduction to Patent Searching
    04 May 2019 PIUG 2019 Annual Conference
    22 Apr 2019 Webinar 4: Producing Patent Landscape Reports that will be Read and Used by Senior Management
    21 Mar 2019 Webinar 3: Generating Spatial Concept Maps
    28 Feb 2019 Webinar 2: Using PivotTables and MS Excel to Generate Simple Charts, Graphs and Tables
    21 Feb 2019 Resources of Interest
    21 Feb 2019 The Patent Examination Process Including Different Approaches to Searching at the USPTO
    21 Feb 2019 The Meat Inside the WIPO Standard ST.26 Nutshell; The Details of Sequence Listings in Patent Applications
    19 Feb 2019 PIUG 2019 Biotechnology Conference
    24 Jan 2019 Preparing Patent Analytics Projects and Patent Landscape Reports – Hands-On Lessons
    24 Jan 2019 Webinar 1: The Linear Law of Patent Analysis, Patent Family Reductions and Assignee Cleanups
    31 Oct 2018 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
    10 Oct 2018 Exploring Artificial Intelligence in the Art of Patent Searching
    08 Oct 2018 PIUG 2018 Northeast Conference
    10 May 2018 Sneak Preview of New Espacenet
    05 May 2018 USPTO Initiatives: Global Dossier and eCommerce Modernization Workshop
    05 May 2018 USPTO Initiatives: Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
    05 May 2018 Patent Information & Intelligence That Senior Managers Really Need…
    05 May 2018 PIUG 2018 Annual Conference
    20 Mar 2018 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course - Spring 2018
    20 Feb 2018 Searching Peptides and Proteins and Second Medical Use Claims
    20 Feb 2018 PIUG 2018 Biotechnology Conference
    01 Nov 2017 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
    31 Oct 2017 PIUG Introduction to Patent Searching - 2017
    27 Sep 2017 Searching Combination Sets in CPC
    25 Sep 2017 PIUG 2017 Northeast Conference
    25 May 2017 What’s new in CPC – recent changes and Searching in CPC - Practical Tips
    21 May 2017 Global Patent Dossier - 2017
    20 May 2017 The EPO Patent Information Products Road Show - 2017
    20 May 2017 “Making it to the Premiership” – a review of the rising stars in the IP information space.
    20 May 2017 PIUG 2017 Annual Conference
    22 Mar 2017 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course - Spring 2017
    27 Feb 2017 Searching Biotechnological Inventions under the EPC
    27 Feb 2017 PIUG 2017 Biotechnology Conference
    09 Nov 2016 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
    28 Sep 2016 Search Methodology: As Important as the Tools and Databases
    28 Sep 2016 USPTO New Initiatives: Global Dossier and Patent Center
    26 Sep 2016 PIUG 2016 Northeast Conference
    26 May 2016 EPO's PATSTAT Online
    22 May 2016 Global Patent Dossier
    21 May 2016 Connecting, Engaging, and Making Your Case: How To Communicate Your Value To People Who Don't Understand What You Do
    21 May 2016 Patent Law Fundamentals for Patent Information Specialists
    21 May 2016 Understanding "Europe"
    21 May 2016 PIUG 2016 Annual Conference
    30 Mar 2016 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course
    22 Feb 2016 PIUG 2016 Biotechnology Conference
    12 Nov 2015 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
    14 Oct 2015 USPTO Workshop - Global Dossier Focus Session
    12 Oct 2015 PIUG 2015 Northeast Conference
    07 May 2015 Searching in CPC - Practical Tips
    02 May 2015 The EPO Patent Information Products Road Show
    02 May 2015 Patent Documentation from South America: Procedures, Sources and Uses.
    02 May 2015 Patent Law Fundamentals for Patent Information Specialists
    02 May 2015 PIUG 2015 Annual Conference
    19 Feb 2015 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course
    16 Feb 2015 PIUG 2015 Biotechnology Conference
    29 Sep 2014 PIUG 2014 Northeast Conference
    01 May 2014 CPC Workshop
    01 May 2014 Advanced Strategies for Searching Patents in Any Source
    26 Apr 2014 EPO Road Show
    26 Apr 2014 Fundamentals of Current Patent Law
    26 Apr 2014 IP in Africa - Shedding Light on the "Dark Continent"
    26 Apr 2014 PIUG 2014 Annual Conference
    27 Feb 2014 Patent Information Fundamentals Course
    24 Feb 2014 PIUG 2014 Biotechnology Conference
    30 Sep 2013 PIUG 2013 Northeast Conference
    02 May 2013 CPC Workshop by USPTO and EPO
    02 May 2013 AIA Workshop by the USPTO
    30 Apr 2013 USPTO Tour Arranged Specifically for PIUG
    27 Apr 2013 Personal Branding: Communicating the Authentic You
    27 Apr 2013 Fundamentals of Current Patent Law
    27 Apr 2013 Soft Skills and Squidgy Answers: The Importance of Presenting Useable Search Output to the Client
    27 Apr 2013 PIUG 2013 Annual Conference
    27 Apr 2013 Patinformatics: The Next Generation
    26 Feb 2013 PIUG 2013 Biotech Meeting
    25 Oct 2012 Patent Information Fundamentals Course

    Believe it or not, the world of patent professionals is far wider than you imagine!


    From patent information researchers to licensing professionals, patent attorneys to commercialization managers, there is only one patent information professional association that gives you access to this growing community. Worldwide since 1988.


    Become a Member

    PIUG - Patent Information User Group, Inc.

    Mailing Address:  
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    Phone: +1 (302) 660-3275   
    Fax: +1 (302) 660-3276
    Email: PIUGinfo@piug.org

    Webmaster: webmaster@piug.org

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    No one may use the PIUG name or logo for any promotional or commercial purpose or any other purpose without the prior written consent of the PIUG Board of Directors.  

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