My Favourite Tipples from a business and patent information specialist
Jinfo Blog

By Louise Brookes

Abstract

My Favourite Tipples are shared by Louise Brookes, an experienced competitive intelligence and knowledge manager with over 25 years in global manufacturing companies. She shares some of her go-to sources in the areas of patents, market research and withdrawn website content.

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Advanced materials are used in a wide variety of different end-use industries and innovation is a continual challenge. I provide my commercial and technical colleagues with insight into new markets and technologies, which I uncover by combining information from both technical and business information.

Here are a few of the sources I have found useful to turn to.

• PatentInspiration: This is a patent search tool from a Belgian company called Aulive. While there are many free and value-added patent search tools, PatentInspiration has some unique visualisations of patent data and allows for intuitive interaction, which I find helpful to show my clients when exploring new concepts or searching for new ideas. Although I do not rely on it for other types of patent searching, the monthly pricing model means it is an additional tool I can add to my kit when a project warrants it.
  
  
• EPO: This site has lots of useful information on patents and how to search for them in many authorities, not just from the European Patent Office, and also offers training on the patent systems and processes. I found it particularly useful when I was learning how to use the Chinese patent search websites, for example. I also like to scan the EPO newsletter to keep up to date on developments in the different patent authorities.
  
  
• Profound: This is a tool I have used for many years and is provided by MarketResearch.com. It enables me to find relevant market research reports in one place as the content covers many different industries and publishers. Profound requires a subscription, but it adds value by indexing the reports into sections. I have found it invaluable in enabling me to make my budget go further, as I can purchase just the sections containing relevant information.
  
  
• Wayback Machine: When I have failed to find information in my usual sources, I turn to this. Archive.org is a non-profit organisation that archives many types of digital content, including old versions of websites. There have been a number of occasions when I have found datasheets or company profiles that are no longer available on a company website, using these as leads for further research, and uncovering details that were extremely useful for my clients!

For fun:

• One of the ways I like to relax is by doing art and crafts with my daughter. We get inspiration from an Instagram channel called 5-Minute Crafts. Some ideas are better than others but they are very often amusing and surprising!

A recent Jinfo article I found particularly interesting:

• I have been involved in patent searching for my entire career, during which time tools have evolved tremendously, and continue to do so at a pace. It was helpful to have an overview of current products in "Market landscape - patent products". It allowed me to reassess the tools I am using against the needs I have and to decide if I should investigate some new ones!

Contribute your "My Favourite Tipples"

Would you like to share your "My Favourite Tipples" with the Jinfo audience? For contributor guidelines email catherine.dhanjal@jinfo.com or visit the Publish with Jinfo page.

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