Apparatus for and method of searching and organizing intellectual property information utilizing a field-of-search

• US 20020138474A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eugene M. Lee
• Original Assignee: Eugene M. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Eugene M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An apparatus for and a method of searching and organizing intellectual property (IP) is provided. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, an apparatus (and corresponding method) is provided for formulating and facilitating searches for intellectual property, and organizing results of such searches. In an exemplary embodiment, a search and organization server is provided with one or more modules to create and process search queries to be run on local or remote database systems. A class search module, for example, may be provided to provide on-line access to classification information and facilitate searching of intellectual property using select classifications. An IP thesaurus module may be provided for developing a list of elements (e.g., words, textual phrases, concepts, representations, numbers, identifications, pictures, graphics, features, etc.) found in select intellectual property information (e.g., groupings of patents). In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the list of elements may be used as an aid in learning a new technology, as a search tool to refine search queries or criteria, as a drafting tool to assist in the preparation of technical or legal documents (e.g., proposals, licenses, patent applications, etc.), or any other practical use. A field-of-search module may be provided to creation of a field-of-search based on search information identified from select intellectual property information. Additional modules (e.g., search engine, workspace module, alert generator, report generator, etc.) may be provided in the search server to formulate, store, organize and output results achieved through operation of the search server.

Claims

1. A method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search for locating intellectual property information, wherein the intellectual property information includes at least one information field containing accessible information, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a source grouping of intellectual property information;

(b) identifying search information contained in the source grouping; and

(c) creating a field-of-search based on the search information identified in said identifying step (b).

2. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the source grouping includes intellectual property information logically grouped together in a folder for storage in a memory unit.

3. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the source grouping includes select intellectual property information identified by input signals received from a remote user.

4. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the source grouping includes selected intellectual property information commonly classified in a system maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

5. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 4, wherein the source grouping containing selected intellectual property information is identified by a search specification in the form of at least one class and subclass in a system maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the classification of U.S. patents.

6. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein said identifying step (b) further comprises the step of retrieving the select intellectual property information making up the source grouping for storage in a local memory.

7. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein said identifying step (b) further comprises the steps of:

accessing the select intellectual property information making up the source grouping; and

analyzing at least one information field of the intellectual property information to identify the search information.

8. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 7, wherein said identifying step (b) further comprises the step of determining a frequency of appearance of the search information contained in the at least one information field of the source grouping.

9. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 8, wherein said creating step (c) further comprises the step of automatically adding to the field-of-search search information having at least a predetermined frequency of appearance in the source grouping.

10. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 8, wherein the intellectual property grouping selected in said selecting step (a) is a collection of intellectual property information associated with a common classification category.

11. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 10, wherein the intellectual property information to be located includes patent publications stored in accordance with a classification system that utilizes a plurality of classes, subclasses, and enumerated digests to categorize relevancy of the patent publications.

12. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 11, wherein the stored patent publications contain information fields, including publication number, publication date, title of publication, field of search, and classification number fields.

13. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 12, wherein the search information identified in said identifying step (b) includes identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the field-of-search information field.

14. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 12, wherein the search information identified in said identifying step (b) includes identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the classification information field.

15. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 8, wherein the source grouping selected in said selecting step (a) is a collection of intellectual property information resulting from an intellectual property search.

16. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 8, wherein the intellectual property grouping selected in said selecting step (a) is a collection of intellectual property information stored on a remote database system accessible over at least one communication network.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the source grouping includes intellectual property information grouped together in a portfolio.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the source grouping includes select intellectual property information identified by input signals received from a user.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said selecting step comprises the step of receiving selection information from a remote user identifying select intellectual property information for inclusion in the source grouping, wherein the selection information identifies at least one classification in a classification system maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein said identifying step further comprises the steps of:

accessing from a remote database over a network the select intellectual property information making up the source grouping; and

analyzing at least one information field of the intellectual property information to identify the search information.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein said identifying step further comprises the step of determining a frequency of appearance of the search information contained in the at least one information field of the source grouping.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein said creating step further comprises the step of automatically adding search information, having at least a predetermined frequency of appearance in the source grouping, to the field-of-search.

25. The search system as recited in claim 24, wherein the intellectual property information retrieved includes patent publications stored in said database in accordance with a patent classification system that utilizes a plurality of classes, subclasses, and enumerated digests to categorize relevancy of the patent publications;

and

wherein said field-of-search module formulates a field-of-search based on the search information obtained.

26. The search system as recited in claim 25, wherein the stored patent publications contain information fields, including publication number, publication date, title of publication, field of search, international classification number, U.S. classification number, and references cited, background, summary, detailed description, and claims fields.

27. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the search information obtained by said field-of-search module includes identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the field-of-search information field.

28. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the search information obtained by said field-of-search module includes identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the U.S. classification information field.

29. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the search information obtained by said field-of-search module includes identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the references cited field.

30. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the search information obtained by said field-of-search module includes words, phrases, and concepts appearing in the detailed description information field;

and

wherein said field-of search module accesses a classification database containing a classification index, a classification, manual, and classification definitions, and derives classes and subclasses related to the search information so as to formulate the field-of-search based on the search information.

17. In a search system for use in searching for intellectual property information, the improvement comprising an article of manufacture having stored thereon an executable program operative to effectuate searching for intellectual property information in connection with the search system, wherein the executable program is executed to perform the steps of:

selecting a source grouping of intellectual property information;

identifying search information contained in the source grouping; and

creating a field-of-search based on the search information identified in said identifying step.

24. A search system for use with an intellectual property classification system, the search system comprising:

an intellectual property database, wherein said intellectual property database stores information related to intellectual property classified in accordance with the classification system; and

a search server comprising;

a search engine module, wherein said search engine module accesses said database and retrieves intellectual property information corresponding to input classification selections; and

a field-of-search module, wherein said field-of-search module processes the retrieved intellectual property information to obtain search information contained in at least one information field of the retrieved intellectual property information.