Invention screening is the heartbeat of every Tech Transfer Office (TTO).

It is the first and most critical step in determining whether a research breakthrough becomes protected IP or fades quietly into a lab notebook.

But the system is under strain. Tech transfer offices today operate with lean teams, limited time, and a growing backlog of invention disclosure forms. Ideally, they would run deep prior art searches, assess commercial potential, and respond to inventors within days. In reality, it often takes weeks; sometimes longer.

And the process is far from straightforward. Few Tech transfer offices have in-house expertise in Boolean logic, CPC classifications, or advanced patent searches. To cope, they outsource searches to legal counsel or ask inventors to do the groundwork themselves. 

Some run quick searches on Google Patents or free tools and hope for the best. But none of these options are fast, scalable, or foolproof.

So what can TTOs do to streamline invention screening? And ensure no valuable invention slips through the cracks? Let’s find out.

Where Time Gets Lost in the Current Workflow?

A researcher submits an Invention Disclosure Form

Sometimes it is detailed and well-thought-out. More often, it is loosely written, lacking clarity on what the invention actually is, what it improves, or how it differs from existing solutions. Before anything else, the TTO team has to decode the submission just to understand what they are evaluating.

The TTO runs a preliminary prior art search

If the team has someone with basic patent search knowledge, they would explore Google Patents, Espacenet, or the USPTO database. Searches are typically done using a few basic keywords or by manually browsing CPC categories. 

An external patent search may be requested

If the invention shows promise, the TTO might bring outside counsel to perform a deeper novelty or patentability search. 

This step adds legal costs. Not to mention, it adds anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to the process.

Internal back-and-forth begins

Then begins the internal process of clarifying with the inventor, reworking disclosures, and aligning on what the invention actually claims.

All this happens while new disclosures keep pouring in, adding pressure to a system already stretched thin.

So, what can be done to reduce the pressure on TTOs without letting valuable ideas slip through the cracks?

This is where smarter, AI-powered tools can help.

A Smarter Way to Screen Inventions

Just a few years ago, invention screening relied heavily on Boolean queries and CPC codes. If you could not search like a patent examiner, you risked missing critical prior art.

Today, AI-powered tools have changed that. They understand natural language, extract core concepts, and surface contextually relevant results, even when terminology differs.

However, not all AI tools work the same way. Some require structured input. Others return results that feel like black boxes. Every tool has its strengths, limitations, and learning curve.

So, how do you choose a tool without adding more to the TTO office’s pressure? For teams screening a wide range of inventions, the best tools are those that balance power with usability. And that is where PQAI stands out.

Why PQAI is Built for Tech Transfer Offices?

For tech transfer teams facing mounting workloads, limited search expertise, and pressure to move faster, PQAI (Patent Quality through Artificial Intelligence) offers a practical way forward.

Built as an open-source initiative, PQAI was created by Sam Zellner, a veteran IP strategist, to democratize the patent search process. This tool was built to make searches fairer, faster, and more accessible for everyone involved in innovation.​

By leveraging AI, PQAI aims to bridge the gap between complex patent language and the straightforward needs of inventors and TTO professionals. Whether you are an overextended TTO analyst or a first-time inventor trying to validate an idea, PQAI levels the playing field.

Source – PQAI

This is how the PQAI tool helps tech transfer offices:

• Enables searching using plain English
  Most inventors describe their ideas in the way they think. TTO staff then have to extract core technical concepts and run queries on them. However, with PQAI, TTO staff and inventors can share a clear description of the invention without any Boolean logic. This lowers the barrier to entry and enables faster, more inclusive participation in the screening process.​
  
• Get smart keyword and CPC suggestions
  PQAI offers dedicated AI tools that help refine invention screening. Instead of manually decoding disclosures, TTO teams can use PQAI’s keyword suggestor and IPC/CPC lookup modules. These tools analyze the invention description and suggest relevant technical terms and classification codes. This makes it easier to craft precise search queries and boost confidence in coverage.
  
• Surface semantically relevant prior art
  PQAI doesn’t just match terms. It understands the intent behind the idea and surfaces conceptually similar patents, even if they use completely different terms. This helps uncover hidden overlaps that traditional search tools often miss, reducing the risk of costly filings based on weak novelty. 

• Keeps searches private and responsibility-driven
  University TTOs handle sensitive, unpublished ideas. As an open-source tool, PQAI runs entirely on the user’s side. The ideas are neither uploaded, stored, nor tracked. That means searches remain confidential. 

PQAI also offers additional benefits like full transparency and open-source architecture. This ensures that searches stay private, accountable, and aligned with institutional IP policies.

Designed to support TTO teams, PQAI helps screen more ideas accurately, without causing burnout or bottlenecking the process.

Invention Screening Reimagined for TTO Teams

Invention screening has always been a balancing act. It sits between speed and depth, judgment and feasibility, potential and risk.

AI does not replace that judgment. But it does make the path clearer. Tools like PQAI are not a substitute for a seasoned patent attorney or a formal patentability opinion. They are not trying to be.

But what they offer is a strong starting point. They help tech transfer offices surface early signals, spot overlaps sooner, and reduce wasted time on ideas that were never novel to begin with.

For inventions with real commercial promise, PQAI gives you direction.  For inventors with limited resources, it gives confidence. And for TTO teams managing dozens of disclosures a month, it frees up time. That too, without compromising quality.

This is not just about faster screening. It is about smarter, more accessible invention discovery. And making sure no great idea gets buried by an inefficient first step.

Among today’s free patent search tools, PQAI stands out as one of the most powerful additions to a TTO team’s invention screening toolkit. 

Try PQAI and see how it can help you screen the next invention disclosure more efficiently. Explore the tool here.

Frequently Asked Questions

#1. What is invention screening?

Invention screening is the first evaluation step after an inventor submits a disclosure. It involves checking for novelty, assessing technical merit, and determining commercial potential. For tech transfer teams, the gatekeeper process helps determine whether an idea is worth patenting or should be left unpublished or redirected.

#2. What makes PQAI different from Google Patents or Espacenet?

PQAI understands context. Unlike Google Patents or Espacenet, which rely on keyword and classification searches, PQAI uses natural language input and semantic analysis to find conceptually similar prior art. 

#3. How does PQAI protect the privacy of my search queries and invention ideas?

PQAI is open-source and privacy-first. Your queries are processed on the user’s side. Nothing is uploaded, stored, or tracked. That means your invention details remain confidential. This tool is especially ideal for universities, startups, and inventors working with unpublished IP. 

#4. Can inventors use PQAI before submitting an invention disclosure form?

Yes, and they should. PQAI allows inventors to run a quick, plain-English search to check for similar prior art before submitting to the TTO. This helps improve the quality of disclosures, reduces duplication, and saves time for both inventors and tech transfer teams during the screening process. For more info on how to conduct a patent search yourself, watch this video next.