Software patent search

The best way to go forward is to find a professional patent searcher that can perform the search for you. You should realize that searching patent information is a profession (or may be ev en art) in itself; it is not just entering some keywords and - if you are Lucky - some classifications in a database; it involves much more than that.
You should be aware that as for yet there is still no quality label for patent information specialists (but we are working on it: www.qpip.org).
Depending on the country where you are in, I could suggest a few possible candidates. Please give me a private message if you want some names.

Success

Hi,

I agree about obtaining a professional search if you are serious about moving forward. However, many people just want an idea of the landscape , and or, you can potentially see if your idea is already patented by doing your own search. Your own search won't be as good as a professional's, but it may answer some quick questions upfront.

Be sure and keep a record of any art you come across to be able to disclose this to the USPTO if you have to ( you have an affirmative duty to disclose known material art). Keep this list in order to hand it over to a patent practitioner who can sort through and disclose etc.

To start go to this website that has a tutorial on patent searching: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/engin/patent-tutorial/tutorial/pattut.html.

Hope this helps!
Mary