Australian entrepreneurs and inventors have a new way of finding out if their fledgling ideas and inventions are on the right track.

A new website allows them to search and obtain details of all patents granted in Australia since 1979, to see what’s already been protected in a particular area.

The AusPat website allows people to track down a patent application by searching for the inventor’s name, the name of the invention, or the name of the person who applied for the patent, as well as other criteria.

The site was recently launched by IP Australia, the federal agency responsible for administering patents, trademarks, designs and plant breeders’ rights.

The new website is expected to make patent searches a lot easier because previously people had to search for patent information across several unconnected databases.

According to Senator Kim Carr, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, the site provides a crucial service for the innovation community.

“It tells you what has already been invented and protected, which can save inventors a great deal of time and effort,” he said.

To visit the site click here.