Boolean search is a recent Markify development that provides very flexible navigation for building boolean queries and configuring search parameters via presets.

To access this mode, please use the dropdown menu for modes that is located right at the top of your ProSearch options:

(If you do not see Boolean among your current options but would like to try it, please contact support@markify.com or your account manager)


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Boolean search options overview


After switching to Boolean mode, you will see the following navigation:

Most of the above displayed parameters are used in Standard mode as well, these are:

- Templates - to presave your preferred search configuration with all parameters (see a related article here);

- Reference - to specify project name, client info, or other input related to the search;

- Databases - for configuring the sources used for the search.


Additionally, you also can use the Ranking name field. It is applicable if you are going to use Distance ranking for your search, which compares provided results with the original searched term. Since in Boolean, there can be multiple queries used, it is necessary to specify which of the terms will be referred to for a comparison (see more info on Distance ranking here)


Below this section, you can see a query builder for configuring main search parameters:

Your first parameter can be added by clicking on the dropdown menu to the left:


As seen from the screenshot, the available criteria to use are:

- Name:  for including or excluding search terms with certain spelling: 

- Phonetic name: for including or excluding results that are phonetically similar to a search term 


- Presets: for configuring the types of edits and truncations that search strategy should take into account (will be described in detail further in this article)


- Word count: for limiting the result by number of words:

- Status: you can choose between filed, registered, expired, and ended marks: 

- Classes: for restricting the search by NICE classes:

- Goods and Services: for configuring GaS parameter, you can use options from the dropdown menu:Or you can use the green icon to the right to open the additional navigation menu: 

This menu is especially helpful for configuring multiple keywords, and you can combine the two features as well: 


- Vienna codes: for configuring Vienna codes or US Design codes. Here by clicking on the green icon to the right you will also see an additional navigation with classifications and search string helping to locate a necessary code:

- Locarno classes: for configuring Locarno classes when searching Industrial design databases


- Application/Serial/Filing number

- Registration number

Both work in a similar way and allow searching by number (or part of a number), or excluding results with certain numbers


- Owner name: for performing an owner search, or restricting search results based on the owner name:


- Owner/ applicant address - for narrowing down results set based on the official location:


- Designer: for configuring an Industrial design search based on the designer name.


Combining parameters into a query

By clicking the green "plus" icon at your Query builder, you can add more parameters to the search, which will need to be configured via the dropdown menu, as described before:

Operators between these queries can be AND, OR, AND NOT, OR NOT - configured by orange buttons

Please note that you can only use one type of operator inside one query 

(e.g. Name contains "Fanta" AND class is 32, AND status is filed/registered <-- AND is connecting all the criteria):

If there is a need to mix in different operators, it will be necessary to combine several queries into one search - this will be explained in one of the next sections.


To remove a parameter, please click on the red cross:


When you configure all of the search criteria, please click on the "Add query" button, you will see your Query overview below:



The Query overview section summarizes criteria that were configured:


You can also see that it is marked as Q1 - query #1.

For this current example, the Active Queries section duplicates the same information because we are working with only one query at the moment.


The Hits section indicates that there are 47 results to be delivered for this search:


Moreover, if you click on the little triangle beside the Q1, it unfolds the results preview. This allows checking if the configured search retrieves all of the desired types of results:


When ready, please click the Search button at the bottom of the platform, to launch the search:


You will be able to see searched parameters at the top of the page, and your search results displayed below it in the form of a spreadsheet. 


Please refer to the Knowledge base section dedicated to report reviewing and customizing, to learn more about the options for working with search results.



Using multiple queries


Boolean search mode also allows combining several queries into one search.

This can be helpful for cases where you would like to use different operators between groups of parameters, or for complex projects where you think through the search strategy in several steps and then would like to combine all those steps into one search.


Using the same "Fanta" example for illustrating the case, if the next query is going to be repeating some of the parameters, you can simply go back to the query builder, change the criteria (e.g. type in another TM name or adjust anything else), and click on Add query button again:

As you can see from the screenshot above, this action added one more query - Q2, which has 63 results.


Or, if the new query configuration is going to be totally different, you can also click the "Clear" button to eraze the Query builder content, and start from scratch:


Getting back to the Q2 example we created just before, you can see that by default the most recent query is treated as an Active Query:

This means that if you click on the "Search" button now, it will launch "Pepsi" search which is Q2.


On another hand, you can have a long list of queries and by clicking on them, choose which one to launch a search for. 

The example below shows that when clicking on Q1 (fanta search), it becomes an active query:


Moreover, you can select both queries (or as many as needed) and they can be launched together with the Search button:

So the search for Q1 and Q2 will produce 110 results in this case.


Taking this one step further, above the queries list you have the operators option: AND, OR, AND NOT, OR NOT:

if you select several queries and then click on one of these options, the system will produce a NEW merged query, combining your original queries with the necessary operator. 

Please see an example below:


So now we have a Q3 - query #3 that is applying OR operator between Q1 and Q2

This Q3 can now be launched, or you can keep working with it, combining with other queries.


When a list of your queries grows long, you may want to hide some of them. This can be done with the help of an "eye" icon:

Or you may want to delete a query from the list. It can be done by clicking the cross icon, or "delete selected" button if you select a query before that. Or you can even Clear all queries with the respective button:

Please note that deleting a query is irreversible if your search parameters are not saved in any way (you can save them into a template, presave the parameters so they will be available in history, or simply launch the search - the two latter options are described in more detail here)


Moreover, the "Expand all" button unfolds a preview of results for all of your queries (as if you were clicking on the little triangles besides Q1, Q2, Q3 to see the previews), and the "Collapse all" option folds them back:




Searching with Presets


One of the Boolean search options that deserves a dedicated instruction is Presets. They allow instructing the search strategy to apply certain edits/ truncations/ transformation to the search term. This way, you can use a smart approach to your searching where you configure the expected results set without building a very detailed query.


For performing a search with Presets, please select this option in the Query builder and type in the base term that will be used:


You can of course combine this parameter with other search criteria. When they are filled out, please click on the Add query button:

After that, look at the Query that was created. Mode options: Preset similarity" is the link that opens the menu with the main configuration. When you click it, you see all available options.

You can choose among (or combine) Alphabetic options (looking at orthographic similarity) and Phonetics (for the options that will be applied within phonetically similar results):

Please tick the strategy options that you would like to be performed to your searched term. When you do that, we recommend clicking on the Preview meta button, and you will see the summary of the results for the whole search - at the (?) icon at the bottom of the list - as well as for each separate options that are ticked:


When satisfied with the summary content, please click on the Apply button to save the Query configuration:

The Mode options section specifies the applied configuration. By default, you see it in the form of short codes (A= stands for Alphabetic identical, etc) - you can see the explanation if you hover over your mouse.

Also, if you click on the triangle button, you can see a full configuration specified:


If there is a need to further adjust the strategy, you can again click on Preset similarity link and the popup with all the options will open.


Lastly, please click the Search button at the bottom of the search form to launch the search query:


Search results will include all 36 marks as per the preview, and you will see your search parameters specified at the Performed search field: 



If you would like to combine Markify algorithm-driven search and your own search strategy, it is also possible to do so.


In additin to your active query, you can click on "Add an alternative search" button, to see one more menu:


The system is now displaying "Alternative search #1". Here you need to specify search name and select a mode:


You can choose between Advanced similarity that is producing algorithm-driven results (please refer to this article to learn more)

Or you can use Identical Plus mode for nearly identical results (please see the dedicated article here) 

Or you can add a Preset search configuration.


Additionally, you have Status and Class options to configure, and upon clicking on "Show more search options", you will see the menu unfolded with even more parameters.


When those are configured, please launch the search with the search button:


Your performed search criteria will specify both the main search parameters, and alternative search parameters:


Please note that it is possible to add multiple alternative searches, clicking on "Add an alternative search" several times. This way, you can cover even more search cases: