Frequently Asked Questions

Which countries are supported?

Many countries are supported through the dial pad. In addition to the three hotkeys for the United States (US), the European Patent Organisation (EP), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WO), you can search for and select among a large number of country codes by tapping the CC key. If a country you want isn’t listed, please let me know!

When should I use the dial pad?

There are many times when you will find the dial pad the quickest and easiest way to get PDF copies into iCloud Drive and Dropbox. These are just a few examples:

• You get an office action and need copies of the cited references.
• You receive a complaint or demand letter and need copies of the asserted patents.
• You have a patent and want to look at the application publication or references.
• You receive a list of prior art search results or an Information Disclosure Statement.
• You see a patent number in a news article or blog post and want to check it out.

How do you use Accio Patent? I would love to hear from you! support@acciopatent.com

Why do I need a barcode scanner if I already have the patent with a barcode on it?

To be sure, you may find yourself using the dial pad more often than the barcode scanner, but there are plenty of times when the even faster barcode scanner comes in handy:

• You only have a stack of printed paper copies and want PDF e-copies.
• You receive a presentation, complaint, or other document that only shows the patent cover page.
• You run a search on Espacenet and only download the cover pages.
• It’s fast and fun!

Which patents have barcodes?

Quite a few jurisdictions print barcodes on their patents, including the United States, the European Patent Organisation, and China. Take a look at Barcodes page for a complete list and sample barcodes to try out. If you find a barcode that doesn’t work, please let me know!

Are my searches private?

Yes! In short, when you use the app, I do not know who you are or which patents you are fetching. Instead, your searches are sent directly to official government patent offices. Accio Patent was designed for privacy, and you can read the full Privacy Policy here.

I can’t and don’t want to sell your data or target you with advertisements, so I require subscriptions for advanced features to cover patent data service costs and support further development. Thank you for your support!

What is the fastest way to get a PDF onto my computer?

For the ultimate speed, I recommend connecting your Dropbox account, or iCloud Drive if you have a Mac. With Dropbox, you can choose whether to connect your personal or business account, and you can switch at any time. New PDFs will be uploading automatically to each of the services you connected. The PDF will appear a moment later in the app folder of your account, and you can rename or move the file anywhere you like without affecting your search history.

If you can’t or don’t want to use a connected cloud service, the next fastest thing is to view the PDF in Accio Patent and tap the Share icon in the bottom-right of the screen. A standard share menu will appear, and you can send the PDF to your favorite email, messaging, or PDF app. You can also use AirPrint and AirDrop with compatible devices.

If you already downloaded a PDF but did not upload it to iCloud Drive or Dropbox yet, you can still save it to these services from the same share menu.

Is there an Android version of Accio Patent?

I appreciate your interest in an Android version, but I do not have a plan for developing one at this time.