Voice to Text for Patent Attorneys
Your mind should focus on claim construction and prior art analysis, not on typing every word of a 50-page patent application. Blurt lets you dictate patent claims, specification language, and office action responses while your hands rest or flip through prior art references. Hold a button, speak your claim language, release. Text appears wherever your cursor is — in Word, USPTO EFS-Web, your docketing system, anywhere. No interruption to your legal analysis. No lost train of thought. Just speak and draft.
The Typing Problem
Drafting claims while mentally mapping the invention
You've spent an hour understanding the inventor's disclosure and you can see exactly how to claim it. The independent claim is crystal clear in your head. But typing it means splitting attention between keyboard and claim construction. By the time you've typed 'wherein the processor is configured to,' you've forgotten the elegant dependent claim chain you were building. The mental map dissolves with every keystroke.
Writing office action responses against the clock
The three-month deadline is tomorrow. You've identified the key prior art distinctions and know exactly how to argue around the examiner's rejection. But typing your arguments takes hours. You could dictate your response in thirty minutes, but you're stuck at the keyboard at 11 PM, typing the same claim limitations over and over. The billing clock runs while your fingers struggle to keep up with your mind.
Prior art analysis notes that never get documented
You're reading through a stack of prior art references and spotting the key differences. You could document your analysis while it's fresh — the missing elements, the structural distinctions, the potential design-around strategies. But typing notes means breaking focus. So you don't. Three weeks later, you're re-reading the same references because you can't remember why you flagged them.
Specification sections that take forever to type
The detailed description needs to support every possible claim scope. You know what needs to be said — you've drafted hundreds of these. But typing the boilerplate about 'preferred embodiments' and 'one skilled in the art would appreciate' takes hours of mechanical keyboard work. Your hands ache. Your brain is bored. The billable hours pile up for work that should take half the time.
Claim amendments during examiner interviews
You're on a call with the examiner and they suggest specific claim language that would advance prosecution. You need to capture it precisely while simultaneously thinking through implications for dependent claims and continuation strategy. By the time you've typed their suggested amendment, you've lost track of whether it introduces new matter. Real-time note-taking at the speed of conversation is impossible with just typing.
How It Works
Blurt works in every application patent attorneys use — Microsoft Word, USPTO EFS-Web, your docketing system, email, Patent Center. Anywhere you can place a cursor.
Hold your hotkey
Press your chosen shortcut. A small indicator shows Blurt is listening.
Dictate naturally
Speak your claim language, response arguments, or specification text. Blurt handles punctuation.
Release and done
Text appears at your cursor. No copying, no pasting, no extra steps.
Real Scenarios
Drafting independent claims without losing your train of thought
You've mapped the invention and know exactly how to claim it. Hold your hotkey and speak: 'A method for processing sensor data comprising receiving a plurality of sensor signals from an array of distributed sensors, applying a machine learning model trained on historical sensor patterns, and generating a predictive output indicating probable system failure within a defined time window.' The claim appears instantly. Your mental model of the dependent claim chain stays intact. Keep building without the typing interruption.
Writing office action responses while reviewing the rejection
The examiner's rejection is on one monitor, Word on the other. You spot the key distinction in the prior art. Hold button, speak: 'Applicant respectfully traverses the rejection. Smith does not teach or suggest the claimed real-time calibration step. Smith's system processes data in batch mode as described at column 4 lines 23 through 31, whereas the present claims require continuous calibration during operation.' Argument drafted while your eyes stay on the prior art.
Capturing inventor disclosures during meetings
The inventor is explaining a new feature you didn't know about. You need to capture technical details accurately while asking follow-up questions. Hold button, dictate what they're saying in real-time. Release, ask your question. Hold again for their answer. You leave the meeting with detailed notes, not cryptic keywords that won't make sense next week.
Drafting detailed descriptions with technical precision
The specification needs to describe every component in detail. Hold and speak: 'In some embodiments, the sensor array comprises at least 16 individual sensing elements arranged in a 4 by 4 grid pattern. Each sensing element includes a photodiode having a detection wavelength between 400 and 700 nanometers.' Technical terminology transcribes accurately. Keep dictating while your hands rest.
Quick notes during prior art searches
You're scrolling through patent after patent looking for relevant prior art. You spot a potentially relevant reference. Hold button, say 'US Patent 8,234,567 to Johnson — teaches sensor array but no machine learning, see figure 3 and column 6.' Release and keep scrolling. Your prior art analysis accumulates without breaking search momentum.
Email responses to clients and examiners
A client asks about prosecution strategy options. You know exactly what to say. Hold button and explain: 'We have three options. First, we can amend the claims to distinguish over the cited reference by adding the real-time processing limitation. Second, we can argue that the reference teaches away from the claimed approach. Third, we can file a continuation with broader claims while allowing the current application to issue.' Send the email in two minutes instead of ten.
Amendments during examiner interviews
The examiner suggests specific language that would overcome the rejection. Hold your hotkey and capture it verbatim as they speak. When the call ends, you have exact proposed language ready to review, not scribbled notes you'll struggle to decipher later.
Why patent attorneys choose Blurt over built-in dictation
| Blurt | macOS Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Single hotkey, instant start | Click microphone icon or 'Hey Siri' |
| Speed | Text appears in under 500ms | 2-3 second delay before transcription |
| Legal terminology | Handles patent vocabulary accurately | Struggles with 'wherein,' 'comprising,' technical terms |
| Reliability | Consistent accuracy across sessions | Often fails silently or mishears |
| Workflow integration | Works in Word, USPTO, any text field | Inconsistent across applications |
Frequently Asked Questions
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