2.2 Simple text searches

2.2.1 Where do I enter in the information?

To start with, try entering your word or words into “Search All Fields”. 

This field searches the entire database, whereas other fields on the form only search particular parts of the database, and are designed for more experienced or familiar users.

So if you search for Matheson* in the Search All field, the query will bring back any trade mark which contains the name “Matheson” as well as any trade mark which is owned by an entity with “Matheson” in the name (such as Matheson Architecture Limited).

2.2.2. So how do I actually enter the query…?

Use Wildcards! You can use the symbols * and ? to broaden your search.

• * is a “multi-character” wildcard. This will find records that contain one or more characters in the place of the wildcard. If it is used after a word, * will find the word on its own as well as the word plus extra characters. For example, a search for rose* finds “rose”, “Roseanne” and “rose bowl” if they are listed as trade marks.

Note : The * wildcard is not reliable when used alone at the front of a word.

• For prefix searches, use ?* before the word. This finds any entries that contain one or more characters at the front of the word, but does not find the word by itself. For example, a search for ?*price finds “caprice” and “custom price” but not “price”.

• ? is a single character wildcard. This will finds any entries that contain just one character in the place of the wildcard unless it’s used with a * wildcard. Can be used in any location within the word. For instance, a search for “str?ng” would find “strung”, “string”, “strang” and “strong”.

2.2.3 What if I don't use wildcards?

If you DON’T use wildcards, a search for a word on its own will find the word plus that word with “stem” endings. Examples of stem endings are: “ing”, “ed”, “s”. For instance a search for trade finds trading, trades and traded.

• Use of wildcards (* or ?) turns off the stem function.
• Use of quotation marks (“ ”) around the word turns off the stem function.

2.2.4 What if I get too many results...how can I narrow down my search?

If you want to JUST search for the trade mark, and not company names, then you can enter your word or word in either of the “Trade Mark word(s)” fields.

2.2.5. What if I want to search for more than one word?

If you want to search for more than one word, enter in your strategy with key words with an AND in between the two key words. For example, the strategy juicy* AND duck* would look for records that contained both the words “juicy” and “duck”.

If you are searching for more than one word, but they do not necessarily have to be in the same trade mark, you can use a comma in your strategy. For example, if you wanted to look for “orange” or “juicy”, use the strategy orange*, juicy*. That strategy will find any trade mark that contains either the word “orange” OR “juicy”.

If you want to search for several words, you can use () brackets to define the search further. For example, if you want to find all records containing “juicy duck” or “orange duck”, you can enter in the strategy (juicy*, orange*) AND duck*.

Examples of Word Searches

Example 1: PLASTERCOTE

• plast*c*, plast*k*, plast*q*, pla?st*c*, pla?st*k*, pla?st*q*
• (plast*,plarst*,plahst*) and (cot*,kot*,qot*,coat*,koat*,qoat*,coet*,koet*,qoet*)
• plast*-c*t*, plast*-k*t*, plast*-q*t*, plarst*-c*t*, plarst*-k*t*, plarst*-q*t*

Example 2: LEARNING MEDIA

• (learn*,lern*,lirn*,lorn*,lurn*) and (med*,meed*,mead*,meyd*,mid*,myd*)
• learn*-med*, l?rn*-med*, learn*-me?d*, l?rn*-me?d*
• learningm*,l?rningm*
• learning*, lerning*, lirning*, lorning*, lurning*, ?*learning*,?*lerning*,?*lirning*
• media*, ?*media*, medya*, meedia*, meedya*, meadia*, meadya*,miedia*, miedya*, mydia*, mydya*, meydia*, meydya*

Example 3: MILLENNIUM

• m?l?n*m*, m?ll?n*m*
• ?*mil?n*m*, ?*mill?n*m*, ?*myl?n*m*, ?*myll?n*m*