To access the Find Similar analysis tools (for a single document) go to Find Similar (1) on the Document Details window and choose Extract Terms.

Note that you also have the Natural Language option as well. This Find Similar option is covered in the Finding Similar Natural Language With Class Fingerprinting section.

The Find Similar Advanced window will ultimately help you create a sophisticated query that looks something like the following:

(SPEC:(atomizer^100 OR atomization^97 OR nicotine^97 OR cigarette^95 OR mm-1.3^94 OR smoking^92 OR mouthpiece^92 OR bottle^90 OR ripple^89 OR reed^89 OR smoker^88 OR colpitts^87 OR separator^86 OR piezoelectric^86 OR  supplying^85 OR ejection^83 OR cavity^83 OR postponed^81 OR vapor^80 OR substance^80 OR smoker's^79 OR shell^79 OR aerosol^79 OR substitutes^77 OR sensor^77 OR microswitch^76 OR foam^75 OR exhilarant^74 OR liquid^72 OR inebriety^72 OR stream^72 OR porous^71 OR magnetic^71 OR 0.1-3.1^70)) AND APD:([NOW-20YEARS TO NOW]) 

This query could take an hour or more to build manually, but you can do it here in seconds!

The Find Similar Advanced window shown here reflects the same query but in a form that is much easier to interpret and modify by the user.

The default window has the following presets:

• The Boolean OR operator is used by default in the Operator column (1).
• Keywords are listed in the Term column (2) in descending order of importance.
• "Importance," which becomes the weighting or "term boost," is listed in the Weight column (3).
• The Source is, by default, TAC (Title, Abstract, and Claims), but you can change it. Here I changed it to the Specification. 

The query that you generate is completely modifiable:

• To delete a term, click the trash icon in the right most column.
• To require a term, (i.e., switch to a Boolean AND) double-click the word "Favored (OR)" and switch it to the "Required (AND)" operator choice.
• To exclude a term, (i.e., switch to a Boolean NOT) double-click the word "Favored (OR)" and switch it to the "Excluded (NOT)" operator choice.
• To add synonyms, double-click the term and enter synonyms for the term displayed, joined by another Boolean OR operator (you can add the Boolean AND as well, but it will then make them both required).
• To add terms not found in the patent, click Add Term in the toolbar.  You can then add a term and give it an operator and a weight.

The original suggested query was manually modified in the figure above.  Each modification causes a small red triangle to appear in the cell to let you know it was modified.  

The query generated in this example will look like this:

(SPEC:atomizer^100 AND SPEC:((atomization AND bottle)^97 OR nicotine^97 OR cigarette^95 OR mm-1.3^94 OR smoking^92 OR mouthpiece^92 OR bottle^90 OR ripple^89 OR reed^89 OR smoker^88 OR colpitts^87 OR separator^86 OR piezoelectric^86 OR  supplying^85 OR ejection^83 OR cavity^83 OR postponed^81 OR vapor^80 OR substance^80 OR smoker's^79 OR shell^79 OR aerosol^79 OR substitutes^77 OR sensor^77 OR microswitch^76 OR foam^75 OR exhilarant^74 OR liquid^72 OR inebriety^72 OR stream^72 OR porous^71 OR magnetic^71 OR 0.1-3.1^70)) AND APD:([NOW-20YEARS TO NOW])

Once you have the query the way you want it, simply click Search.

Note that you can also generate a matrix directly from this window, as opposed to clicking search then selecting Analyze-->Concept Landscape Matrix from the Search Results.

The search results above clearly demonstrate the power of keyword rich, weighted, and broad OR'd queries. But it is important to notice a few key options here.

First, by default, the Class Fingerprint option is on. What this does is take the CPC and IPC classes from the original patent and uses them to add to the search. This narrows the search into what we call the Class Neighborhood. Basically, you are allowing the examiners to help you focus your search in on relevant patents.

Also notice that the Max No. Documents is set to 200 by default. You can use this dropdown to limit the number returned even farther, or to see every single document that might meet your search. How many you want to view and work with is up to you.

Although not shown in the above, you can also scroll down on the left-hand panel and use the facets, just like you would in any other set of Search Results. That way, you can reduce the set further to just a particular assignee or some other facet that you want to see.