Patent-related tools and methodology for use in research and development projects

• US 20070136116A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rose Blush Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Germeraad, Paul, Hohmann, Luke, Rappaport, Irving, Rivette, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/933 Citation analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/934 Analyzing patent activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/936 for use in research and development
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/937 intellectual property searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/938 intellectual property markets

Abstract

The present invention is related to patent-related tools, and methodologies involving those tools, for assisting in all stages of research and development (R&D) projects. The IPAM server may be used in conjunction with the tools and methodologies to aid in R&D projects. These tools or methods include, but are not limited to, a topographic map, a top company table, a top inventor table, a inventors by company table, a features grouping, a technology classification, a Standard Industrial Codes (SIC) classification, a patent citation tree, a patent count/year, an application count/year, a nested patent citation tree, a product/patent/revenue table, a patent/months to issue chart, and a document/annotation chart.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating sequential stages of a research and development project, comprising:

performing a search on a technology area;

storing results of the search in a database;

accessing a tool box comprising a plurality of tools, wherein each of the tools is associated with one or more tasks of the sequential stages of the research and development project, and each of the tools is configured to perform a respective task using information from the search results stored in the database;

selecting a task associated with one of the sequential stages of the research and development project;

invoking a tool from the tool box applicable to the selected task; and

performing the selected task using the invoked tool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is an idea stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the search results stored in the database, and wherein the invoked tool generates a company table that provides a patent count report of assignees involved in areas related to an idea of a user company.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is an idea stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the search results stored in the database, and wherein the invoked tool generates an inventor table that provides a patent count report of inventors that are involved in areas related to an idea of a user company.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting a task comprises at least one of:

invoking a tool for generating a topographic map;

invoking a tool for generating a top company table;

invoking a tool for generating a top inventor table;

invoking a tool for generating an inventors by company table;

invoking a tool for generating a features grouping chart;

invoking a tool for generating a technology classification;

invoking a tool for generating a Standard Industrial Codes classification;

invoking a tool for generating a patent count/year chart;

invoking a tool for generating an application count/year report;

invoking a tool for generating a technology by company map;

invoking a tool for generating a patent citation tree;

invoking a tool for generating a nested patent citation tree;

invoking a tool for generating a product/patent/revenue table;

invoking a tool for generating a patent/months to issue report;

or

invoking a tool for generating document annotation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is a preliminary assessment stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database, dividing the group into subgroups according to inventor, and dividing the subgroup according to assignee, and wherein the invoked tool generates an inventors by company table, wherein the inventors by company table identifies inventors who have worked in an area pertaining to an idea of a user company.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is a preliminary assessment stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database, and wherein the invoked tool generates a features grouping chart that displays product feature sets in a project.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is an idea stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database and dividing the group into subgroups according to technology classification, wherein the invoked tool is configured to generate a technology classification, and wherein the technology classification provides information pertaining to other technology that could be used to build upon an initial concept.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is an idea stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database and dividing the group into subgroups according to assignee, and wherein the invoked tool generates a technology by company map, wherein the map informs a user of competitors that have shown effort in areas related to an idea.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is a preliminary assessment stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database, dividing the group into subgroups according to technology classification, and mapping the technology classification to a related SIC classification, and wherein the invoked took generates a SIC classification that provides information to enable a user to locate markets which should be assessed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is a development stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database and performing a forward citation on each of the patents to create a patent citation tree, and wherein the invoked tool generates a patent citation tree, wherein the patent citation tree provides information to a user pertaining to prior art to acquire during the development stage for freedom to practice.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is a development stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database and performing a forward citation on each of the patents to create a patent citation tree, and wherein the invoked tool generates a patent citation tree, wherein the patent citation tree provides information to a user pertaining to prior art to acquire during the development stage for freedom to practice.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is an idea stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database and performing a specified number of forward citations on each of the patents to create a nested patent citation tree, and wherein the invoked tool generates a nested patent citation tree that allows a user to promote an idea as distinct from other work in a related market.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stages is a portfolio stage, wherein performing the selected task comprises:

searching a group of patents from the results stored in the database and sorting the group according to product attributes, and wherein the invoked tool generates a product/patent/revenue table that distinguishes features of a proposed project from features of existing technology.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting a task comprises at least one of:

searching a group of patents;

searching a group of company documents;

searching a group of patents and dividing the group into subgroups according to technology classification;

searching a group of patents, dividing the group into subgroups according to inventor, and dividing the subgroups according to assignee;

searching a group of patents, dividing the group into subgroups according to technology classification, and mapping the technology classification to related Standard Industrial Codes classification;

searching a group of patents and performing a forward citation on each of the patents to create a patent citation tree;

searching a group of patents and performing a specified number of forward citations on each of the patents to create a nested patent citation tree;

searching a group of patents, dividing the group into subgroups according to patent classification, and dividing the subgroups according to assignee;

searching a group of patents and documents and sorting the group according to product attributes;

searching a group of patents, sorting the group by a period of time field, and performing calculations relating to the field;

or

searching a group of patents and documents and annotating the patents and documents.

15. A system for facilitating stages of research and development project comprising:

an input device configured to receive information from a user;

a processor configured to perform a search on a database based on the received information;

a storage device configured to store results of the search;

a controller configured to generate control signals based on the received information;

a comparator configured to compare stored information and the control signals to determine a set of the stored information correlating with the control signals; and

a plurality of tools in a tool box, each of the tools configured to formulate a corresponding type of output from the set of stored information, whereby the output is displayed on a display device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the tool box comprises at least one of:

a tool for generating a topographic map;

a tool for generating a top company table;

a tool for generating a top inventor table;

a tool for generating an inventors by company table;

a tool for generating a features grouping chart;

a tool for generating a technology classification;

a tool for generating a Standard Industrial Codes classification;

a tool for generating a patent count/year chart;

a tool for generating an application count/year report;

a tool for generating a technology by company map;

a tool for generating a patent citation tree;

a tool for generating a nested patent citation tree;

a tool for generating a product/patent/revenue table;

a tool for generating a patent/months to issue report;

or

a tool for generating document annotation.

17. A method for research and development, comprising:

generating a topographic map to identify existing and non-existing technologies;

identifying a new technology area for research and development using the topographic map; and

assessing one of the identified existing technologies for possible implementation in the new technology area.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining market feasibility and alternative technologies using the topographic map.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating step comprising:

searching a database for existing technology;

receiving a list of existing technologies;

categorizing each of the existing technologies into groups according to a technology classification; and

mapping the technology classification to related Standard Industrial Codes classification.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for manipulating information on a database, said computer readable program code comprising:

a first computer readable program code for receiving from a user a search input, wherein the first computer readable program code comprises;

a second computer readable program code for receiving and storing results of the search; and

a third computer readable program code for accessing a tool box comprising a plurality of tools, wherein each of the tools is associated with one or more tasks of the sequential stages of the research and development project, and each of the tools is configured to perform a respective task using information from the search results stored in the database.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the third computer readable program code comprises at least one of:

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents;

computer readable program code for searching a group of company documents.

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents and dividing the group into subgroups according to technology classification;

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents, dividing the group into subgroups according to inventor, and dividing the subgroups according to assignee;

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents, dividing the group into subgroups according to technology classification, and mapping the technology classification to related Standard Industrial Codes classification;

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents and performing a forward citation on each of the patents to create a patent citation tree;

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents and performing a specified number of forward citations on each of the patents to create a nested patent citation tree;

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents, dividing the group into subgroups according to patent classification, and dividing the subgroups according to assignee;

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents and documents and sorting the group according to product attributes;

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents, sorting the group by a period of time field, and performing calculations relating to the field;

or

computer readable program code for searching a group of patents and documents and annotating the patents and documents.