BEST PRACTICES

Clearly define your questions to receive precise answers.
Example: Instead of "What is this about?" ask "What problem does this invention solve?"

Include necessary background information or references (e.g., patent numbers, specific applications, or technical terms) to help the Assistant tailor its response.
Example "What are the claims in patent US1234567 and how do they improve scalability?"

Save time and credits by grouping related questions into one.
Example "What issue does this patent address? What is the approach used to address it? What advantages does it offer?"

If needed, you can ask for specific references, such as paragraph numbers, or claims to get the portions of the patent that PatAssist used for its reply. It can also cite multiple sections or paragraphs, when the response is derived from different parts of the patent text.
Example: "Can you cite the paragraph that explains the efficiency improvement?" or as a follow on questions to a previous reply "Can you cite all the paragraphs that support the answer above?"

Use technical or industry-relevant terms for more precise answers.
Example What impact does the coating material have on thermal conductivity?"

When comparing patents, processes, or techniques, specify the exact aspects to compare, and limit questions to a manageable scope (e.g., specific features, methods, or outcomes). Within the Project Assistant, always include patent numbers for precise identification and reference.
Example "How does the process in patent A compare to patent B in terms of industrial scalability?"

If the initial response isn't comprehensive, pose additional questions to delve deeper into the topic.
Example "Can you elaborate on how this method improves efficiency?"

For lengthy documents, ask for summarized main points or distinguishing features.
Example "Summarize the distinguishing features of this patent."

Can interpret table data within patents and provide accurate summarizations of the same
For questions on a particular figure or table, be specific about which figure or table number to refer.
Example "What does Figure 2 illustrate about the heat distribution process?"

While PatAssist can process and respond to questions in other languages, it has been rigorously tested for English questions and answers.

The Assistant does not currently support interpretation of patent drawings or embedded images.

Avoid questions that rely on any field other than the technical content of the patent
Example "Who is the inventor?" or "What is the publication year?” or "Is the patent still in force?”

Convoluted and contradictory instructions in your question might confuse the Assistant, leading to incorrect responses.

Avoid using questions that do not have a context to the prior answer. For instance, "What about the efficiency?" should either relate to something specific mentioned in the previous question/answer, else it should specify "efficiency of what."

Avoid comparing unrelated patents, as it may result in irrelevant and incomplete answers.

Since the Assistant chat output length is limited, if a question requires a lengthy answer, you may receive an incomplete response. In such cases you should use multiple, iterative questions to fully explore their scope.
Example Start with "What are the key features of this patent?" and follow up with "How does it compare to patent X?"

Don’t merge completely unrelated questions, as it can confuse the Assistant and dilute the focus of its answers.
Instead of asking "What are the claims, and how does the thermal coating material improve energy efficiency?", ask them one after the other as two separate questions.

Limit the scope of comparisons to two or three records at a time for clarity.
Example "What are the differences between patents A and B?" or “Compare the technological differences between patents A, B and C.”

Simply pasting a patent number into the chat without a clear question may cause the Assistant to reference the previous question and provide an incorrect or irrelevant answer. Always frame a specific question associated with the patent number.
Example (What Not to Ask) "US123456"
Better Version "What are the key claims of US123456?"

It cannot determine what is missing from the patent text, as this requires analyzing information outside the scope of the patent.
Example “Which 3d printing techniques are not covered in the patents?” or “What gaps exist in the given methods for capturing fruit flies?”

PatAssist is not a replacement for filters and it cannot give all the matching results against a question due to limited chat reply length.

Can compare a patent with an outside scope paragraph only if the paragraph is provided in the question