Add search operators to your search terms for a more targeted search or to search for terms with similar spellings. You can also limit your search to individual fields. All search operators can be used in combination with each other.

• Search with the placeholders * and ?

• Restrict your search with AND or NOT

• Search within ranges with [TO]

• Search in specific fields

You can use placeholders to search for terms with variable characters: for example, for an owner (e.g. Novartis AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Ltd., Novartis Pharma AG) or products with various endings. You can position the placeholders at the start, the end, or the middle of a word or in several positions in a word.

The options are:

• ? for exactly one character

• * for any number of characters (including zero)

If you search for several terms, these will be connected by OR by default. Each result will contain at least one of these search terms.

If you combine search terms by using AND (or and), you will find all certificates that contain these search terms. You can also place a plus sign (+) before compulsory search terms.

For example, use the search operator AND to search for certificates of an owner for a specific product.

If you want to exclude search results containing specific terms, please combine the terms to be excluded by using NOT (or not) or by placing a minus sign in front of them.

You can use [TO] to search within a range, for example, within a number series. The upper and lower values will be included in the search.

Your search query will search for all certificate numbers, basic patent numbers, products, owner and representative addresses, and information on authorisations and approvals. For example, if you search for Novartis, you will find all certificates belonging to the owner Novartis as well as all certificates with a representative address containing the word Novartis.

For a more targeted search, you can restrict it to single data fields by using the advanced search. Alternatively, you can enter the names of the fields in the search box or refine the search via the results list.

You can also input the fields you want to search directly in the search box. To do so, add the field name as a prefix before the search term (e.g. owner:meyer).

The following fields are available:

The field search can also be combined with search operators such as placeholders or AND or NOT connectors.

If the search term is found in other fields, these are also listed in the results list (list view).

Examples:

• The search function
• Filters
• Search results
• Detailed results view
• Glossary