Using hyperbolic trees to visualize data generated by patent-centric and group-oriented data processing

• US 6,339,767 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Aurigin (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bashshur, Noura, Park, Brian, Hohmann, Luke, Rappaport, Irving S., Rivette, Kevin G., Rabb, Charles Jr., Goretsky, David, Jackson, Adam, Thornthwaite, Warren, Puglia, David, Smith, David W., Navarette, Jorge A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/921,369
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 707/102, 707/526, 707/104
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/382 using citations hypermedia G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/11 Patent retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/924 Patent procedure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/933 Citation analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for processing data are described herein. The system maintains first databases of patents, and second databases of non-patent information of interest to a corporate entity. The system also maintains one or more groups. Each of the groups comprises any number of the patents from the first databases. The system, upon receiving appropriate operator commands, automatically processes the patents in one of the groups in conjunction with non-patent information from the second databases. Accordingly, the system performs patent-centric and group-oriented processing of data. A group can also include any number of non-patent documents. The groups may be product based, person based, corporate entity based, or user-defined. Other types of groups are also covered, such as temporary groups. The processing automatically performed by the system relates to (but is not limited to) patent mapping, document mapping, patent citation (both forward and backward), patent aging, patent bracketing/clustering (both forward and backward), inventor patent count, inventor employment information, patent claim tree analysis, and finance. Other functions and capabilities are also covered, including the ability to utilize hyperbolic trees to visualize data generated by the system, method, and computer program product.

Claims

1. A method of displaying data, comprising the steps of:

(1) access ing patent-related documents;

(2) accessing one or more groups each comprising any number of said patent-related documents;

(3) automatically generating a hyperbolic tree containing data from any of said patent-related documents; and

(4) allowing a user to selectively focus on at least some of said data that is displayed in a portion of said hyperbolic tree by performing a patent citation tree function, wherein said patent citation tree function is a backward patent citation tree function or a forward patent citation tree function.

2. A method of processing and presenting data, comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving a backward patent citation command or a forward patent citation command;

(2) receiving an indication of a number of levels to cite;

(3) retrieving patent citation information pertaining to a user-selected patent;

(4) constructing a patent citation hyperbolic tree using said retrieved patent citation information; and

(5) displaying said patent citation hyperbolic tree.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (3) comprises the steps of:

retrieving information identifying patents that are cited in said user-selected patent for said number of levels if a backward patent citation command was received; and

retrieving information identifying patents that cite said user-selected patent for said number of levels if a forward patent citation command was received.

4. A method of processing and presenting data, comprising the steps of:

(1) retrieving patent citation information pertaining to a user-selected patent, wherein said patent citation information is backward patent citation information or forward patent citation information;

(2) constructing a patent citation hyperbolic tree using said retrieved patent citation information; and

(3) emphasizing nodes of said patent citation hyperbolic tree according to time-based criteria, wherein said time-based criteria includes at least one of filing date, priority date, length of pendency, effective filing date, invention date, critical date, on-sale date, public disclosure date, and public use date.

5. A method of processing and presenting data, comprising the steps of:

(1) identifying claim dependencies of claims in a user-selected patent;

(2) constructing a patent claims hyperbolic tree for said user-selected patent using said identified claim dependencies; and

(3) displaying said patent claims hyperbolic tree, wherein the text of each claim in said patent claims hyperbolic tree may be selectively displayed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (1) comprises the step of:

parsing and analyzing text in said user-selected patent corresponding to said claims to identify said claim dependencies.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein step (2) comprises the step of:

generating a claims dependency graph using said identified claim dependencies.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (2) further comprises the step of:

constructing said patent claims hyperbolic tree from said claims dependency graph.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein step (2) further comprises the steps of:

mapping said claims dependency graph to a claims dependency tree; and

constructing said patent claims hyperbolic tree from said claims dependency tree.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein step (3) comprises the step of:

(a) modifying display properties of nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to user-selected criteria.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:

modifying display properties of said nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to any combination of;

(i) whether a node corresponds to a patent or claim; and

(ii) whether a node corresponds to an independent claim or a dependent claim.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:

modifying display properties of said nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to user-defined criteria.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

displaying a legend that describes said user-selected criteria.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

(4) receiving an operator command to display a claim represented in said patent citation hyperbolic tree; and

(5) displaying said represented claim.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step (5) comprises the steps of:

displaying text of said represented claim apart from said user-selected patent if so instructed by an operator; and

displaying text of said represented claim in the context of said user-selected patent if so instructed by an operator.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said tree constructing means comprises:

means for generating a claims dependency graph using said identified claim dependencies.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said tree constructing means further comprises:

means for constructing said patent claims hyperbolic tree from said claims dependency graph.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said tree constructing means further comprises:

means for mapping said claims dependency graph to a claims dependency tree; and

means for constructing said patent claims hyperbolic tree from said claims dependency tree.

26. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for receiving an operator command to display a claim represented in said patent citation hyperbolic tree; and

claim displaying means for displaying said represented claim.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said claim displaying means comprises:

means for displaying text of said represented claim apart from said user-selected patent if so instructed by an operator; and

means for displaying text of said represented claim in the context of said user-selected patent if so instructed by an operator.

39. The method claim 5, wherein said step (3) comprises displaying data in said patent claims hyperbolic tree such that at least some of said data is displayed in a portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree, the method further comprising the steps of:

(4) enabling a user to traverse to another portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree; and

(5) dynamically presenting, responsive to step (4), other of said data in said another portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree.

16. A system of processing and presenting data, comprising:

information retrieving means for retrieving patent citation information pertaining to a user-selected patent, wherein said patent citation information is backward patent citation information or forward patent citation information;

tree constructing means for constructing a patent citation hyperbolic tree using said retrieved patent citation information; and

tree displaying means for displaying said patent citation hyperbolic tree comprising emphasizing means for emphasizing nodes of said patent citation hyperbolic tree according to time-based criteria, wherein said time-based criteria includes at least one of filing date, priority date, length of pendency, effective filing date, invention date, critical date, on-sale date, public disclosure date, and public use date.

17. A system of processing and presenting data, comprising:

dependency identifying means for identifying claim dependencies of claims in a user-selected patent;

tree constructing means for constructing a patent claims hyperbolic tree for said user-selected patent using said identified claim dependencies; and

tree displaying means for displaying said patent claims hyperbolic tree, wherein the text of each claim in said patent claims hyperbolic tree may be selectively displayed.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said dependency identifying means comprises:

means for parsing and analyzing text in said user-selected patent corresponding to said claims to identify said claim dependencies.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein said tree displaying means comprises:

modifying display properties means for modifying display properties of nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to user-selected criteria.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said modifying display properties means comprises:

means for modifying display properties of said nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to any combination of;

(i) whether a node corresponds to a patent or claim; and

(ii) whether a node corresponds to an independent claim or a dependent claim.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said modifying display properties means comprises:

means for modifying display properties of said nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to user-defined criteria.

25. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for displaying a legend that describes said user-selected criteria.

40. The system of claim 17, wherein said tree displaying means comprises displaying data in said patent claims hyperbolic tree such that at least some of said data is displayed in a portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree, the system further comprising:

user enabling means for enabling a user to traverse to another portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree; and

dynamic presentation means, responsive to said user enabling means, for dynamically presenting other of said data in said another portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree.

28. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic stored therein, wherein said computer program logic comprises:

dependency identifying means for enabling a computer to identify claim dependencies of claims in a user-selected patent;

tree constructing means for enabling the computer to construct a patent claims hyperbolic tree for said user-selected patent using said identified claim dependencies; and

tree displaying means for enabling the computer to display said patent claims hyperbolic tree, wherein the text of each claim in said patent claims hyperbolic tree may be selectively displayed.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said dependency identifying means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to parse and analyze text in said user-selected patent corresponding to said claims to identify said claim dependencies.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said tree constructing means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to generate a claims dependency graph using said identified claim dependencies.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said tree constructing means further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to construct said patent claims hyperbolic tree from said claims dependency graph.

32. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said tree constructing means further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to map said claims dependency graph to a claims dependency tree; and

means for enabling the computer to construct said patent claims hyperbolic tree from said claims dependency tree.

33. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said tree displaying means comprises:

modifying display properties means for enabling the computer to modify display properties of nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to user-selected criteria.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said modifying display properties means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to modify display properties of said nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to any combination of;

(i) whether a node corresponds to a patent or claim; and

(ii) whether a node corresponds to an independent claim or a dependent claim.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said modifying display properties means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to modify display properties of said nodes of said patent claims hyperbolic tree according to user-defined criteria.

36. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising:

means for enabling the computer to display a legend that describes said user-selected criteria.

37. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

means for enabling the computer to receive an operator command to display a claim represented in said patent citation hyperbolic tree; and

claim displaying means for enabling the computer to display said represented claim.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein said claim displaying means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to display text of said represented claim apart from said user-selected patent if so instructed by an operator; and

means for enabling the computer to display text of said represented claim in the context of said user-selected patent if so instructed by an operator.

41. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said tree displaying means comprises displaying data in said patent claims hyperbolic tree such that at least some of said data is displayed in a portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree, wherein said computer program logic further comprises:

user enabling means for enabling the computer to allow a user to traverse to another portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree; and

dynamic presentation means, responsive to said user enabling means, for enabling the computer to dynamically present other of said data in said another portion of said patent claims hyperbolic tree.