Move through citation generations in either direction, from one place
Citations of a patent run two ways. Backward, to what a patent examiner identified as relevant. Forward, to later patent examinations where that same patent was identified as relevant.
Most searches follow one direction at a time, then switch tools, or start a fresh search, to follow the other.
Patently Search's Forward & Backward (FAB) browser keeps both directions in one view. Move backward to trace where a patent’s ideas came from, then forward from any result to see what came after it, without leaving the browser or restarting the search.
Every citation is deduplicated at the family level as you move, so one you haven't checked stays visible instead of buried under members of a family you've already reviewed.
Patently Search's FAB browser lets you trace citations in either direction from one view. See Patently Search.
Most searches follow one direction at a time, then switch tools, or start a fresh search, to follow the other.
Patently Search's Forward & Backward (FAB) browser keeps both directions in one view. Move backward to trace where a patent’s ideas came from, then forward from any result to see what came after it, without leaving the browser or restarting the search.
Every citation is deduplicated at the family level as you move, so one you haven't checked stays visible instead of buried under members of a family you've already reviewed.
Patently Search's FAB browser lets you trace citations in either direction from one view. See Patently Search.