Patent as a technological information source

Abstract

The lafer presents the global system of intellectual property, with a main focus on patent documents; it proposes an analysis on the history, objectives and characteristics of trade marks and patents institutions, as well as the Brazilian legislation concerning the matter. The paper explains the organization of the patent system at the level of international organisms and countries, specially Brazil; it discusses the importance of patent documents as technological information sources, their use's advantages and drawbacks, some search tools designed to facilitate the retrieving of patent information and the access to specialized databases.