Infringer finder

• US 20060149711A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/932 Infringement detection

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for an infringer finder to search public information sources for possible patent infringers. Some embodiments provide for analyzing an issued patent, associated patent support data, such as Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) information, and other reference materials, along with user input to create a patent search profile. Using the patent search profile, a search is made of public information sources and a report is generated summarizing possible patent infringement targets.

Claims

1. A system for finding infringement of a patent, the system comprising:

patent analysis logic operable to analyze patent information, associated patent support data relating to the patent information, and reference materials, to create a patent search profile;

search logic operable to utilize the patent search profile to search sources of public information for possible patent infringers and to provide patent search results; and

report generator logic operable to utilize the patent search results to provide a patent search results report.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the patent analysis logic is operable to analyze the patent search profile, the patent information, the patent support data, and the reference materials, to create a new patent search profile, and wherein the search logic is operable to utilize patent search results previously provided.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the patent information includes information included in the patent, the patent support data includes information included in a prosecution history of the patent, and the reference materials include other public information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the patent analysis logic is operable to create the patent search profile based on factors comprising at least one of:

claim type;

parsed keywords;

context analysis;

structure of claim for identifying dependencies;

similar and opposite meaning interpretation of claim language;

dictionary meaning;

analysis of claim modification;

analysis of office actions;

analysis of prior art; and

analysis of other documents cited during patent prosecution;

the system further comprising a patent analysis user tuner interface operable to specify patent analysis factors comprising at least one of;

industries;

companies;

SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes;

technology;

time period;

geography;

related articles;

related products;

related services;

domain names;

URLs; and

XML tags wherein the patent analysis logic utilizes the patent analysis factors to create the patent search profile.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the search logic utilizes at least one of:

a search engine; and

a web crawler;

the system further comprising a search user tuner interface to specify search factors for use by the search logic, the search factors comprising at least one of;

duration;

schedule;

cost;

accuracy level;

domain names;

URLs;

geography

date range;

content type; and

XML tags.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a report user tuner interface to specify report factors comprising at least one of:

output format; and

notification preference;

wherein the report generator logic utilizes the report factors to create the patent search results report comprising at least one of;

infringer targets;

content;

contact information;

accuracy rating;

alternative search suggestions;

search criteria used;

date of information; and

location of information.

7. A method for finding patent infringers, comprising the steps of:

creating a patent search profile by analyzing patent information, associated patent support data relating to the patent information, and reference materials;

searching sources of public information, utilizing the patent search profile, for possible patent infringers and providing patent search results; and

generating a patent search results report.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of analyzing the patent search profile, the patent information, the associated patent support data relating to the patent information, and the reference materials, to create a new patent search profile, and wherein the searching step utilizes previous patent search results.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the patent information includes information included in the patent, the patent support data includes information included in a prosecution history of the patent, and the reference materials include other public information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of creating a patent search profile utilizes factors comprising at least one of:

claim type;

parsed keywords;

context analysis;

structure of claim for identifying dependencies;

similar and opposite meaning interpretation of claim language;

dictionary meaning;

analysis of claim modification;

analysis of office actions;

analysis of prior art; and

analysis of other documents cited during patent prosecution;

and further comprising a step of specifying patent analysis user tuner interface factors comprising at least one of;

industries;

companies;

SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes;

technology;

time period;

geography;

related articles;

related products;

related services;

domain names;

URLs; and

XML tags;

wherein the step of creating a patent search profile utilizes the patent analysis user tuner interface factors.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the searching step utilizes at least one of:

a search engine; and

a web crawler;

and further comprising a step of specifying search user tuner interface factors comprising at least one of;

duration;

schedule;

cost;

accuracy level;

domain names;

URLs;

geography

date range;

content type; and

XML tags;

wherein the searching step utilizes the search user tuner interface factors.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step for specifying report user input factors comprising at least one of:

output format; and

notification preference;

wherein the step of generating the patent search results report utilizes the report user input factors and creates the patent search results report comprising at least one of;

infringer targets;

content;

contact information;

accuracy rating;

alternative search suggestions;

search criteria used;

date of information; and

location of information.

13. A computer readable medium having a program for finding patent infringers, the program performing the steps of:

creating a patent search profile by analyzing patent information, associated patent support data relating to the patent information, and reference materials;

searching sources of public information, utilizing the patent search profile, for possible patent infringers and providing patent search results; and

generating a patent search results report.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising the step of analyzing the patent search profile, the patent information, the associated patent support data relating to the patent information, and the reference materials, to create a new patent search profile, and wherein the searching step utilizes previous patent search results.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the patent information includes all information included in the patent, the patent support data includes information included in a prosecution history of the patent, and the reference materials include other public information.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step of creating a patent search profile utilizes factors comprising at least one of:

claim type;

parsed keywords;

context analysis;

structure of claim for identifying dependencies;

similar and opposite meaning interpretation of claim language;

dictionary meaning;

analysis of claim modification;

analysis of office actions;

analysis of prior art; and

analysis of other documents cited during patent prosecution;

and wherein the program further performs a step of specifying patent analysis user tuner interface factors comprising at least one of;

industries;

companies;

SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes;

technology;

time period;

geography;

related articles;

related products;

related services;

domain names;

URLs; and

XML tags;

wherein the step of creating a patent search profile utilizes the patent analysis user tuner interface factors.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the searching step utilizes at least one of:

a search engine; and

a web crawler;

and wherein the program further performs a step of specifying search user tuner interface factors comprising at least one of;

duration;

schedule;

cost;

accuracy level;

domain names;

URLs;

geography

date range;

content type; and

XML tags;

wherein the searching step utilizes the search user tuner interface factors.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the program further performs the step of specifying report user input factors comprising:

output format; and

notification preference;

wherein the program performs the step of generating the patent search results report utilizing the report user input factors and creates the patent search results report comprising at least one of;

infringer targets;

content;

contact information;

accuracy rating;

alternative search suggestions;

search criteria used;

date of information; and

location of information.