It is provided by Georgetown University's Kennedy Institute of Ethics and the Foundation for Genetic Medicine. The front page information of patents can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat. This site allows free quick searching on the front page text of US patents only. It is possible to view the abstract free of charge. Micropatent Patent imaging and trademark checking services.
Some information is free.
This database is a useful starting point when beginning a patent search because it allows you to search the front page information of all US patents granted since 1974 free of charge. All you need to do is register for a username and password. It is possible to carry out field searches, Boolean searches and patent number searches. The full text available includes the summary, claims, descriptions and references. The EPO's task is to grant European patents using a unitary and centralised procedure.