A novelty search is used as a first step in the patent process. An inventor prepares a disclosure document describing an invention in a clear and concise manner including a title of the invention, an abstract of the invention, a description of the components of the invention, drawings of the invention, and a description of how the invention works and what problem it solves.
The inventor signs a non-disclosure document with a searcher and presents the invention disclosure to the searcher. A search strategy is devised which may include consulting with a patent examiner at the USPTO. Classes and subclasses are selected from the USPTO Manual of Classification to cover areas of art relevant to the invention. Keywords are selected based on the content of the disclosure document and a search is carried out. The searchers job is to uncover prior art relevant to the invention under study and to report their findings. The search report is used to evaluate the novelty of the invention under study and is used as a tool to assist in the preparation of a patent application.
It is advisable to consult a registered patent attorney when filing a patent application. The process is quite tricky and the rules change every year. You may find a patent attorney or patent agent by searching the attorney roster at the PTO website. You may wish to find an attorney in your area. The quickest way to do this is to do a geographic search using this link. If you wish, I would be happy to recommend a number of Patent Attorneys I work with that would be happy to assist you.
