patents database

http://www.uspto.gov/

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/

http://www.patents-information.com/freepatent/

http://patentmyideaonline.com/downloads/

http://www.freshpatents.com

www.wipo.int

http://www.google.com/patents

awesome article

http://venturebeat.com/2008/06/23/post-mortem-the-real-story-of-how-chip-startup-montalvo-went-down-in-flames/