---
title: Search Operators and Fields Cheat Sheet
description: An overview of Quartet commands
---

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1. [Quartet Help](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet?hsLang=en)
2. [Getting started](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/getting-started?hsLang=en)
3. [Crafting Search Strings](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/getting-started?hsLang=en#crafting-search-strings)

# Search Operators and Fields Cheat Sheet

## An overview of Quartet commands

#### Table of Contents

- #### [Operators](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Operators)
  
    - [Boolean](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#BooleanOp)
    - [Proximity](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#ProxOp)
    - [Wildcard](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#WildcardOp)
- #### [Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Fields)
  
    - [Text Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#TextFld)
    - [Number Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#NumberFld)
    - [Date Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#DateFld)
    - [Country and Kind Code Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#CKCFld)
    - [Classification Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#ClassFld)
    - [Party Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#PartyFld)
    - [Legal Status Fields](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#LegalStFld)
- #### Special Commands
  
    - [Citation Search](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Citation)
- #### [Modifiers](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Modifiers)
  
    - [Text Field Modifiers](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#TextFldMod)
    - [Date Field Modifiers](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#DateFldMod)
    - [Legal Status Modifiers](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#LegalStMod)
    - [Assignee Field Modifiers](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#AssigneeMod)
- #### [Special Inputs](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Special)
  
    - [Greek Letters](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Greek)
    - [Symbols](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Symbols)
    - [Non-Latin Language Inputs](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#NonLatin)
    - [Special Characters](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#SpecialChar)

- #### [Hotkeys](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-operators-truncation-limiters#Hotkeys)

#### Boolean Operators

| **AND** | All terms must be present | boat **AND** propeller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **OR** | At least one of the terms is present | car **OR** vehicle **OR** truck |
| **NOT** | The term(s) following NOT is excluded | bass **NOT** fish |

Boolean operators can be used to combine or exclude results from multiple search lines in the timeline.

Example, the combination of lines 1-5 of the timeline: (1 **OR** 2 **OR** 3) **AND** 4 **NOT** 5

 

#### Proximity Operators

| ***n*D** | Order Non-Specific Proximity Terms are within ***n*** spaces of each other, in any order, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (power **4D** battery) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ***n*W** | Order Specific Proximity Terms are within ***n*** spaces of each other, in the order as written, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (anti **1W** aging) |
| ***n*S** | Sentence Proximity Terms are within ***n*** sentences of each other, in any order, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (battery **1S** charging) ((proportion? 2W solid?) **3S** acid?) |
| ***n*P** | Paragraph Proximity Terms are within ***n*** paragraphs of each other, in any order, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (cupped **1P** jaw) ((insulat\* 2w ring?) **1P** (alkaline 2D dry)) ((batter\* 2D charg\*) **4P** ( electric\* 10D (car OR vehicle))) |
| **"   "** (Double Quotes) | Phrase Proximity without Wildcards Searches for exact text, exactly as written within double quotes, however, wildcard operators will not be recognized. Double quotes will prevent search operators and truncation limiters from operating – example, searching for 3D technology | **"**cell phone**"** *(Results include: cell phone; cell-phone; & cell. Phone)* |
| **'     '** (Single quotes) | Phrase Proximity with Wildcards Searches for exact text, exactly as written within single quotes, however, wildcard operators will still be recognized. | **'**3D goggle?**'** *(Results include: 3D goggle & 3D goggles)* |
| **\_** (Under-score) | Optional Space Proximity Text is searched as a single term and as two terms separated by a space or hyphen. *A maximum of 5 underscores may be used per word.* | anti**\_**lock *(Results include: antilock, anti lock, & anti-lock)*   *Underscores do not require parenthesis around the words to function properly* |

Hyphens are treated as spaces within Quartet.

Same sentence (nS) and same paragraph (nP) operators cannot be stacked. For example *((LAPTOP 1S SCREEN) 1P CHARGER)*  would not be an accepted input.

 

#### Wildcard Operators

| **⁎** | Unlimited Truncation Represents zero or any number of additional characters (letters or numbers). Can be used both at the beginning, middle or end of a word. | deploy**⁎** *(Results include: deploy, deploys, deployment, & deploying)* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **?** | Optional Single Character Truncation Represents zero to one additional character. **NOTE:** Multiple **?**s can be stacked to represent multiple characters **???** represents zero to three additional characters | phone**?** *(Results include: phone & phones)* comput**???** *(Results include: computer, computes, computing, computed)* |
| **#** | Single Character Truncation Represents exactly one character that must be present. | analy**#**e *(Results include: analyze & analyse)* |
| **+** | Class Code Stemming Operator **Specific for IPC or CPC search fields.** The operator returns results for the classification code queried and any of its subordinate classes. | IPC=G01N33/00**+** *(Results include: G01N33/00 and its subordinate class codes, i.e., G01N33/02 & G01N33/558)* |

The asterisk ( \* ) operator allows for end truncation. Its meaning and use are the same anywhere within Quartet.

The plus sign ( + ) operator is a unique wildcard that can only be used with classification code searching and is used for searching the hierarchy of a classification schedule. For example, whereas **CPC=(G07F19/20\*)** will search for all classifications that start with G07F19/20, for example G07F19/201-209 will all be captured, but it will miss indented subgroups such as G07F19/21 that would be captured by **CPC=(G07F19/20+)**.

 

#### Text Field

| **TI** | Title | **TI**=(personal 2W computer) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **AB** | Abstract | **AB**=flow? |
| **DES** | Description | **DES**=(laptop OR tablet OR notebook) |
| **CLM** | Claims | **CLM**=(plane 3W (engine OR motor)) |
| **FT** | Full Text FT is equivalent to **TI/AB/DES/CLM** | **FT**=(short\_cut AND project) |
| **TA** | Title and Abstract TA is equivalent to **TI/AB** | **TA**=translation |
| **TAC** | Title, Abstract, and Claims TAC is equivalent to **TI/AB/CLM** | **TAC**=(GPU OR processor) |
| *none* | If no field is given and the user has not specified a default field in their settings, then the default field is **FT**. | (personal 2W computer) |

Fields may be combined using **/**, for example, **TI**/**AB**/**CLM**=(personal 2W computer)

 

#### Number Fields

| **PNUM** | Publication Number | **PNUM**=(US2001023123A1 OR KR20049312\*) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **ANUM** | Application Number | **ANUM**=(US74094800A) |
| **FNUM** | Family Number (DOCDB Family Number) | **FNUM**=(3467725 OR 987542?) |

 

#### Date Fields

| **PUBD** | Publication Date | **PUBD**=2002-01-28 *(Results include documents with a publication date of January 10, 2002)* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **APPD** | Application Date | **APPD**\<2001-03 *(Results include documents with an application date before March 31, 2001)* |
| **PRID** | Priority Date | **PRID=\<**2003 *(Results include documents with a priority date on or before December 31, 2003)* |

Date formats accepted are YYYY, YYYY**-**MM, and YYYY**-**MM**-**DD

Date fields are searched using =, \<, \>, =\<, and =\> followed by the desired date.

 

For "Greater than or equal to" and "Less than or equal to," the order of the equal sign and greater and less than signs are interchangeable.

Ex. PUBD**=\>**2024-02-01 is the same as PUBD**\>=**2024-02-01

Greater than ( \> ) and less than (\< ) are exclusive of the entered date while greater than or equal to ( =\> ) and less than or equal to ( =\< ) are inclusive of the entered date.

When searching for a range, a colon ( : )can be inserted between two dates in any of the accepted formats.

Ex. **PUBD=**2003-01-01**:**2008-12-31 searches documents published between 2003-01-01 to 2008-12-31.

 

#### Country and Kind Code Fields

| **CC** | Country Code | **CC=**(CN OR FR) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **KC** | Kind Code | **KC**=(B1) |
| **CKC** | Country code & kind code | **CKC**=(CNB? OR JPB2) |

 

#### Classification Fields

| **IPC** | International Patent Classification Codes | **IPC**=(C07K16/28 OR C07K16/42) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **CPC** | Cooperative Patent Classification Codes | **CPC**=(C07K16/2812 OR C07K16/4275) |
| **USPC** | United States Patent Classification Codes | **USPC**=(340/2.2) |
| **JPFI** | Japanese File Index Codes | **JPFI**=(G06F7/535\_520 OR H04B7/26\_109@M) |
| **JPFT** | Japanese F-Term Codes | **JPFT**=(5B016\_FA05) |

Classification systems can be combined in one command if a code is common to multiple systems. Here are some examples:

- CPC/IPC=G06F1/03
- IPC/CPC/JPFI=G06F1/03

#### Party Fields

| **PA** | Applicants and assignees | **PA**='Intel Corp⁎' |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **IN** | Inventors | **IN**=(Jane 2D Doe) |

#### Legal Status Fields

| **LGL** | Legal status Can take both short and long form of legal statuses (see table below) | **LGL**=Alive  **LGL**=(alive OR rlaps) |
| --- | --- | --- |

#### Searchable Legal Status Terms

The legal status terms are searchable in both a long and short form.

| Long form | Short form |
| --- | --- |
| alive |  |
| dead |  |
| pending | pend |
| granted | grant |
| lapsed | laps |
| recentlylapsed | rlaps |
| longlapsed | llaps |
| revoked | rev |
| expired | exp |

Examples: 

**LGL**=Alive 

**LGL**=recentlylapsed

**LGL**=(alive OR rlaps) 

**LGL**=(dead NOT alive)

Boolean legal status expressions only allow one level. A query such as **LGL**=(alive NOT (lapsed OR exp)) is not allowed. However, statements combining multiple Boolean expressions like LGL=Alive AND LGL=(rlaps OR llaps) are allowed.

 

#### Citation Search

| **CIT** | Forward and backward citation search for DOCDB families on a search query or line number. | **CIT**(**5**) *forward & backward citation search of the results in line 5* **CIT**(**PNUM=US10000000**) *forward & backward citation search of US,10,000,000* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **CITF** | Forward citation search for DOCDB families on a search query or line number. | **CITF**(**5**) *forward citation search of the results in line 5* **CITF(PA=(Netflix))** *forward citations search of patents where Netflix is the assignee* **CITF.X(PA=(Netflix))** *same as above, however only citations categorized as X or 102* |
| **CITB** | Backward citations search for DOCDB families on a search query or line number. | **CITB(4)** *backward citation search of the results in line 4* **CITB(IN=("Deng Han"))** *backward citations of patents where John Smith is the inventor.* |
| **PUBCIT** | Forward and backward citation search for domestic families on a search query or line number. | **CIT(5)** *forward & backward citation search of the results in line 5* **CIT**(**PNUM=US10000000**) *forward & backward citation search of US,10,000,000* |
| **PUBCITF** | Forward citation search for domestic families on a search query or line number. | **PUBCITF(5)** *forward citation search of the results in line 5* **PUBCITF(PA=(Netflix))** *forward citations search of patents where Netflix is the assignee* **PUBCITF.X(PA=(Netflix))** *same as above, however only citations categorized as X or 102* |
| **PUBCITB** | Backward citation search for domestic families on a search query or line number. | **PUBCITB**(**4**) *backward citation search of the results in line 4* **PUBCITB(IN=("Deng Han"))** *backward citations of patents where John Smith is the inventor.* |

 

Available categories

| Category | Description |
| --- | --- |
| A | Technological background |
| X - also  searches 102 | Relevant on it's own |
| Y - also searches 103 | Relevant in combination with others |

 

 

#### Text Field Modifiers

| **SFLD:** | Single Field Modifier Terms appear within the same field within a family. | **SFLD:**TAC=(personal ANDcomputer) *(Results include families where personal and computer both appear in the Title, Abstract, or Claims)* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **SPUB:** | Single Publication Modifier Terms appear within the same publication. | **SPUB:**TAC=(personal AND computer) *(Results include publications where personal and computer both appear in the Title, Abstract, and/or Claims of the same publication)*   **SPUB** can also be used across multiple fields. Enclose the fields using brackets \[ \] **SPUB:**\[CLM=(automobil\*) AND PUBD=2020-01-01\] *(Results include families with automobile in the claims published on January 1, 2020)* |

SFLD and SPUB must be combined with at least one of the text fields listed above.

 

 

#### Date Field Modifiers

| **.L** | Latest Date Searches the most recent date of a date field. Must be combined with a date field. | **PUBD.L**=2003:2008 *(Results include families having a most recent publication date within the range of years from 2003 to 2008)* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **.E** | Earliest Date Searches the oldest date of a date field. Must be combined with a date field. | **APPD.E**\<2001-03 *(Results include families having an earliest application date before March 2001)* |
| **.CC** | Country Code Specified Limits the search of a date field to a desired jurisdiction that is specified by the two-letter country code, where **CC** is the country code. Must be combined with a date field. | **PRID.US=\<**2002-01-10 *(Results include US publications having a priority date on or before January 10, 2002)* |

 

 

#### Legal Status Modifiers

| **.CC** | Country Code Specified Limits the search of a legal status field to a desired jurisdiction that is specified by the two-letter country code, where **CC** is the country code. | **LGL.US=Alive** *(Results include all US publications that are live)* **LGL.US=Alive** AND **LGL.EP** **=Dead** *(Results include families with live US US publications but dead EP publications)* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **/** | Combining two fields Allows the combination of two modified legal status fields | **LGL.US**/**LGL.EP=Alive** *(Results include all US and EP publications that are live)* |

 

#### Assignee Field Modifiers

Assignee field modifiers allow the user to search original and current assignees. By default, Quartet would search both fields for an assignee match without current or original assignee being specified.

| **.C** | Current assignee | **PA.C**=(University 2D California) *(Results include families with a member assigned to the University of California)* |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **.O** | Original assignee | SPUB:\[**PA.O**=(University 2D California) AND PUBD=2020\] *(Results include publications originally assigned to the University of California and published in the year 2020)* |

 

 

#### Greek Letters

Greek letters may be searched by symbol (β) and by spelled out name (beta), as the system uses them interchangeably.

Examples:

**ta='π/2'**

**ab='α β unsaturated'**

**ta=("α" and "β")**

 

 

#### Symbols

| **%** | Percent |
| --- | --- |
| **‰** | Permille |
| **‱** | Permyriad |
| **°** | Degree |
| **\<** | Less than |
| **\>** | Greater than |

Less than “**\<**” and greater than “**\>**” can be shown in the system as “**lf**” and “**gt**” respectively 

 

 

#### Non-Latin Language Inputs

Quartet can further accept input in non-Latin languages.

Examples:

**pa=オンソンフル**

**pa=ほんだ**

**pa=本田**

**pa=혼다**

 

 

#### Special Characters

Quartet accepts the following special characters:

| **é, á** | ˊ | Accent Acute |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **è, à** | ˋ | Accent Grave |
| **ê, â** | ˆ | Circumflex |
| **ë, ä** | ̈ | Umlaut or Diaerisis |
| **ñ, ã** | ˜ | Tilde |
| **ě, č** | ˇ | Caron (Háček, Wedge) |
| **ĕ, ă** | ˘ | Breve (Crescent) |
| **ċ, ġ** | ̇ | Overdot |
| **ē, ā** | ˉ | Macron |
| **ç, ş** | ̧ | Cedilla |
| **ø** | Ø | Streg |
| **ð** | Ð | Eth |
| **å** | Å | Angstrom |
| **æ** | Æ | Ligature |
| **œ** | Œ | Ligature |

 

 

#### Hotkeys

#### System Wide

| Esc | Closes popups/boxes |
| --- | --- |

#### Command Line

| Enter | Executes command |
| --- | --- |

#### Timeline

| Up and Down Arrows | Highlights different search queries |
| --- | --- |
| Space and Enter | Opens selected string |

#### Results View

| Up and Down Arrows | Scrolls through references in results list |
| --- | --- |
| Space and Enter | Enters Detail view of highlighted reference |

#### Detail View

| Up and Down Arrows | Scrolls through references in results list while remaining in Detail view |
| --- | --- |
| Space | Brings up Figure Popup |
| Left and Right Arrows | Cycles through figures in the right page |
| R | Rotates figure |
| Home and End | Moves to the beginning and end of the document, respectively |
| Page Up and Page Down | Scrolls up and down a page at a time, respectively |

#### Figure Popup

| R | Rotates figure |
| --- | --- |
| Up/down arrow | Scrolls through references in results list while remaining in Figure Popup |
| + and – | Changes image size |
| Left and Right Arrows | Cycles through figures |
| Space | Closes Figure Popup |

 

- [Getting started](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Workspaces and Search projects](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/getting-started?hsLang=en#workspaces-and-search-projects)
    - [Crafting Search Strings](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/getting-started?hsLang=en#crafting-search-strings)
    - [Ways to search](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/getting-started?hsLang=en#ways-to-search)
    - [Seeing your results](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/getting-started?hsLang=en#seeing-your-results)
- [Search Guide](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-guide?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Interface](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-guide?hsLang=en#interface)
    - [Methods of Searching](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-guide?hsLang=en#methods-of-searching)
    - [Reviewing References](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-guide?hsLang=en#reviewing-references)
    - [Other](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/search-guide?hsLang=en#other)
- [Patent Coverage](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/patent-coverage?hsLang=en)
- [Inputs](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/inputs?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Operators](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/inputs?hsLang=en#operators)
    - [Fields and Commands](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/inputs?hsLang=en#fields-and-commands)
    - [Special Characters](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/inputs?hsLang=en#special-characters)
- [Alerts](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/alerts?hsLang=en)
- [Settings](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/settings?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Customization](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/settings?hsLang=en#customization)
- [Videos & Webinars](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/videos-webinars?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Full Overview of How to Use Quartet](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/videos-webinars?hsLang=en#full-overview-of-how-to-use-quartet)
    - [ProTip Videos](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/videos-webinars?hsLang=en#protip-videos)
    - [Webinars](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/videos-webinars?hsLang=en#webinars)

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