Introduction
This website address is: https://patpdfs.com.
PatPDFs is operated by Brown Dog Software (“we”, “us”, “our”) and provides free access to publicly available publications from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). We value your privacy and aim to be transparent about our practices.
What we collect
We do not require registration, personal accounts, comments, or file uploads. We do not intentionally collect names, mailing addresses, or similar identifiers from general visitors.
When you visit our site, standard web server and analytics tools may collect limited technical information such as IP address, approximate location (derived from IP), user agent, referring/exit pages, and timestamps. This helps us operate, secure, and improve the service.
If you contact us (e.g., by email), we receive the information you provide and use it only to respond to your inquiry.
How we use information
- Operate, maintain, and secure the website
- Understand usage and performance to improve reliability and usability
- Detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, abuse, or security incidents
- Comply with applicable laws and enforce terms
We may display Google AdSense ads; Google may use cookies or other identifiers for ad delivery and measurement. See the Cookie Policy below for details and opt‑out options.
Sharing & disclosure
We do not sell personal information. We do not share it for third‑party marketing.
We may disclose information when necessary to comply with law, protect rights, or address fraud/security issues. Limited technical data may be processed by service providers acting on our behalf (e.g., hosting, analytics, advertising); they are bound by appropriate obligations.
Data retention
We retain data only as long as needed for the purposes described above (for example, to operate the site, troubleshoot, or meet legal obligations). Preference cookies typically expire in ~12 months. Server logs and analytics data may be kept longer in aggregate or anonymized form.
Cookie Policy
Cookies are small text files placed on your device. We use a minimal set of cookies necessary for preferences and site reliability. Third parties (notably Google) may also set cookies or similar identifiers for analytics and advertising.
Types of cookies we may use
| Category | Purpose | Example duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Remember site settings (e.g., OCR preferences) to provide a consistent experience. | Up to 12 months |
| Analytics | Measure traffic and usage to improve performance and reliability (e.g., Google Analytics via Site Kit). | Varies by provider |
| Advertising | Deliver and measure ads (e.g., Google AdSense). May personalize ads where permitted by law and your settings. | Varies by provider |
Managing cookies & opting out
- Browser controls: You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some site features.
- Google Ads settings: https://adssettings.google.com/
- Google Privacy & Terms: https://policies.google.com/privacy
- How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites
- Google Analytics Opt‑out Browser Add‑on: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Children’s privacy
Our site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will work to delete it.
Your rights & choices
Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or object to certain processing of your personal data. To exercise a right or ask a question, contact us on our contact page.
Security
We take commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the data we handle. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.
Changes to this policy
We may update this document to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements.
Contact
You can contact us by viewing our contact page.