Overview
Patent Lightning Viewer is a powerful Single Page Application (SPA) designed for patent analysis and review. It enables attorneys, patent professionals, and researchers to efficiently view, annotate, search, and analyze patent documents.
Key Features
- Multi-color Highlighting  Apply color-coded annotations with notes
- Advanced Search  Progressive matching and exact search modes
- Screenshot Capture  Capture and annotate document regions
- Claim Chart Integration  Generate claim charts from annotations
- Cloud Synchronization  Save and access documents from anywhere
- AI Assistant  Intelligent document analysis support
Press F6 to quickly access the file menu from anywhere in the application.
Interface Layout
The interface consists of several key areas:
- Menu Panel (Left Sidebar)
- A 50-pixel wide vertical toolbar containing all primary tools and functions. Hover over icons to see tooltips describing each function.
- Document Viewer
- The main area displaying patent pages. Supports scrolling, zooming, and both vertical and horizontal layouts.
- Path Display
- Located at the top-left, shows the current file path (cloud folder or local file name).
- Page Indicator
- Shows current page number and total page count (e.g., "5/24").
- Floating Panels
- Resizable, draggable panels for Search, Annotations, and other tools that can be minimized, maximized, or closed.
Quick Start Guide
- Click the File icon (disk) in the menu panel or press F6 to open a document
- Select a document from Cloud storage or load from your computer
- Use the Pencil icon to select a highlight color
- Click and drag across text to highlight words
- Click the Search icon or press Ctrl+F to search
- Save your work using the File menu
File Operations
The File Operations button (disk icon) is the first item in the menu panel. Click it or press F6 to access file functions.
Claim Chart Generator
The Claim Chart button (grid icon) opens the integrated claim chart tool for creating patent claim analysis charts.
Available Templates
- Standard Claim Chart  Two-column format for claim element mapping
- Multi-Reference Chart  Compare claims against multiple prior art references
- Infringement Analysis  Map claims to accused product features
Click the Claim Chart icon to see available templates. Each template opens in a new tab with a pre-configured chart structure.
AI Assistant
The AI button ("Ai") provides intelligent assistance for document analysis. The AI can help with:
- Summarizing patent claims and specifications
- Identifying key technical terms
- Suggesting relevant prior art connections
- Drafting annotation notes
Search Tool
Click the magnifying glass icon or press Ctrl+F to open the Search panel.
Search Panel Features
- Search Input  Type or paste search terms (supports multi-line)
- Mode Selection  Choose Progressive Match or Standard (Exact) mode
- Navigation  Prev/Next buttons and keyboard shortcuts
- Results Display  Separate panels for Specification and Claims results
- Drag Mode  Select text by dragging in the document
- Recent Searches  Access search history
Markup Tool (Highlighter)
The Pencil icon activates the markup tool for highlighting and annotating text. Click it to open the color selection palette.
Markup Modes
- Highlight Mode (Default)
- Applies a colored background highlight to selected text
- Underline Mode
- Applies a colored underline instead of background highlight
Color Categories
After selecting a color, your cursor changes to a highlighter. Click and drag across text to apply highlights. The color remains active until you select a different color or tool.
Annotation Documents
The Annotation Document icon (stacked pages) manages collections of annotations for the current document.
Features
- View all annotations in a list format
- Navigate to specific annotations by clicking
- Export annotations to external formats
- Manage annotation visibility
Screenshot Tool
The Screenshot tool (camera icon) allows you to capture rectangular regions of the document for annotations and export.
Creating Screenshots
- Click the Screenshot icon to enter capture mode
- Click and drag to define the capture region
- Release to create the screenshot frame
- Add notes or adjust the frame as needed
Screenshot Controls
- Lock/Unlock  Prevent accidental modification
- Color Coding  Apply category colors to frames
- Notes  Attach annotations to screenshot regions
- Resize  Drag frame edges to adjust
Layout Toggle
The Layout Toggle button switches between vertical and horizontal page arrangements.
- Vertical Layout (Default)
- Pages stack top-to-bottom, scroll vertically. Best for reading continuous text.
- Horizontal Layout
- Pages arrange left-to-right, scroll horizontally. Useful for comparing adjacent pages.
Page Rotation
Individual pages can be rotated for proper viewing. The rotation button appears at the top center of each page when you hover over it.
- Click the rotation button to rotate 90° clockwise
- Rotation state is saved with your annotations
- Annotations and screenshots adjust automatically when pages rotate
Page Bookmarks
Bookmark pages for quick reference. The bookmark icon appears at the top-right corner of each page.
- Inactive Bookmark
- Light blue outline with dashed border  click to activate
- Active Bookmark
- Solid light blue fill  click to deactivate
Pages containing patent claims are automatically bookmarked with claim numbers (e.g., "Claims 1-5").
Line Numbers
Patent specifications typically include line numbers in the margins. The viewer renders these when available in the document data.
Line numbers appear in the left margin of specification pages and can be toggled on/off through the settings.
Highlighting Text
Text highlighting is the primary annotation method in Patent Lightning.
How to Highlight
- Click the Pencil icon to open the color palette
- Select your desired highlight color
- Position your cursor over the starting word
- Click and drag to the ending word
- Release to apply the highlight
Removing Highlights
Click on an existing highlight to remove it, or right-click for additional options.
Annotation Notes
Each highlighted region can have an associated note with rich text formatting.
Opening the Notes Panel
Click on any highlight to open its annotation popup, or use the Annotations panel to view all notes.
Note Features
- Rich Text  Bold, italic, underline, font sizes
- Text Color  Apply colors to note text
- Background Color  Highlight text within notes
- Quoted Text  Toggle display of the highlighted source text
Panel Controls
Color Coding System
The six-color system helps organize annotations by purpose:
| Color | Category | Suggested Use |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Priority | Critical issues, key claim limitations, blocking references |
| Orange | Issue | Potential problems, areas needing attention, questions |
| Yellow | Review | Items to verify, pending decisions, follow-up needed |
| Green | Complete | Resolved items, confirmed mappings, approved sections |
| Blue | Source | Supporting evidence, specification references, definitions |
| Purple | Question | Unclear passages, ambiguous terms, items for discussion |
Search Modes
Progressive Match Mode
The default mode that finds flexible matches across word boundaries:
- Matches words in sequence even with intervening words
- Handles hyphenation and line breaks intelligently
- Finds partial word matches
- Best for natural language searches
Standard (Exact) Mode
Strict matching for precise searches:
- Requires exact word sequence match
- Case-insensitive by default
- Best for specific terms or phrases
Toggle between modes using the radio buttons in the Search panel.
Drag Selection Search
The Drag mode allows you to select text directly in the document to use as a search query.
- Click the Drag button in the Search panel
- Your cursor changes to indicate drag mode
- Click and drag across text in the document
- The selected text automatically populates the search field
- Click Search or press Enter to find matches
Opening & Saving
Opening Documents
Access the file menu via the disk icon or F6. Choose from:
- Cloud  Browse Patent Library folders
- Computer  Load local PTL files
Saving Work
Your annotations, screenshots, and notes are saved together:
- Save to Cloud  Stores encrypted in your Patent Library
- Save to Computer  Downloads a .ptl file
Work is not auto-saved. Remember to save before closing the browser or navigating away.
Cloud Storage
Patent Lightning integrates with cloud storage for secure document access across devices.
Patent Library Structure
- Documents are organized in folders
- Each patent can have multiple note files
- Notes are encrypted for security
Authentication
Sign in with your credentials to access cloud features. Your session persists until you sign out.
Local Files
PTL (Patent Lightning) files can be saved and loaded from your computer.
File Format
PTL files contain:
- Document identifier (patent number)
- All annotations and highlights
- Notes and their formatting
- Screenshot regions and notes
- Page bookmarks and rotations
- Viewport position and zoom level
Keyboard Shortcuts
Global Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| F6 | Open File menu |
| Ctrl+F | Open Search panel |
| Ctrl+S | Save (if file location known) |
| Ctrl++ | Zoom in |
| Ctrl+- | Zoom out |
| Ctrl+0 | Reset zoom |
| Esc | Close active panel / Cancel operation |
Search Panel Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter | Execute search |
| , or ↠| Previous result |
| . or → | Next result |
| Esc | Clear search / Close panel |
Panel Navigation
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Move to next control |
| Shift+Tab | Move to previous control |
| ↑ ↓ | Navigate within button groups |
| Enter or Space | Activate focused button |
Accessibility Features
Patent Lightning is designed with accessibility in mind, following WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines.
Screen Reader Support
- All interactive elements have proper ARIA labels
- Document text is available via screen reader text layer
- Live regions announce search results and status changes
- Proper heading hierarchy for navigation
Keyboard Navigation
- All functionality accessible via keyboard
- Focus indicators visible on all interactive elements
- Skip link to bypass navigation
- Focus trap within modal dialogs
Visual Accessibility
- Color contrast ratios meet WCAG AA (4.5:1 minimum)
- Color is not the sole indicator of information
- Respects user's reduced motion preferences
- Scalable text and interface elements
Color Assist Mode
Enable Color Assist mode in settings for enhanced color differentiation patterns on highlights.
If you encounter accessibility issues, please report them through the feedback mechanism. We are committed to continuous improvement.