System, method, and recording medium for drafting and preparing patent specifications

• US 6,434,580 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Shimamura, Kouichi, Shiramizu, Akira, Takano, Kouichi, Furusawa, Daisuke, Imoto, Fumio, Kubo, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bashore, William L.
• Application Number:
  US09/177,612
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 707/530, 707/507, 707/2, 707/203, 707/511, 707/512, 704/4, 704/9, 705/1, 705/9
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A client computer 100 enters with a draft preparation means 100 a piece of draft data prepared by an inventor, and transmits with a draft uploading means 103 the draft data and a piece of invention report information to a server computer 300. The server computer 300 receives with a draft receiving means 301 the transmitted pieces of draft data and invention report information, and enters them with a draft entry means 302 into a specification file 303, the data and the information being associated with each other. A client computer 200 transfers with a draft downloading means 201 the draft data entered in the server computer 300, revises with a draft revision means 202 the draft data, and transmits with a draft uploading means 203 the revised draft data to the server computer 300.

Claims

1. A system for preparing patent specifications comprising a first computer, a second computer, a third computer and a communication network connecting said first computer, said second computer and said third computer, said system comprising:

said first computer including a draft preparation means for entering patent specification draft data of a patent specification prepared by an inventor, a draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer respective patent specification draft data entered from said draft specification preparation means and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data, and a notification means for addressing an upload notification of said patent specification draft data to a patent-application-filing person;

said second computer including a specification file memory means, and a draft entry means for entering respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first and third computers into said specification memory means, with the respective draft data and the pieces of invention report information being associated with each other; and

said third computer including a draft downloading means for fetching from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person, a draft revision means for revising the draft data fetched by the draft downloading means in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person, and a revised draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision means and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person.

2. A system for preparing patent specifications comprising a first computer, a second computer, a third computer and a communication network connecting said first computer, said second computer and said third computer, said system comprising:

said first computer including a draft preparation means for entering patent specification draft data of a patent specification prepared by an inventor, a draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer respective patent specification draft data entered from said draft specification preparation means and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

said second computer including a specification file memory means, and a draft entry means for entering respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first and third computers into said specification memory means, with the respective draft data and the pieces of invention report information being associated with each other; and

said third computer including a draft downloading means for fetching from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person, a draft revision means for revising the draft data fetched by the draft downloading means in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person, and a revised draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision means and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person;

a patent application document sending means for sending an application form and said revised draft data for filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as patent application document data to a computer of the United States Patent and Trademark Office; and

a proof sending means for receiving proof data, corresponding to said patent application document data, sent from the computer of the United States Patent and Trademark Office in response to said patent application document data, and sending the proof data,

associated with the piece of invention report information corresponding to the proof data, to said second computer to enter the proof data into said specification file memory means.

3. A system for preparing patent specifications comprising a first computer, a second computer, a third computer and a communication network connecting said first computer, said second computer and said third computer, said system comprising:

said first computer including a draft preparation means for entering patent specification draft data of a patent specification prepared by an inventor, a draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer respective patent specification draft data entered from said draft specification preparation means and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data, a first draft downloading means for fetching from said second computer draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by said inventor, a draft amending means for amending the draft data fetched by the first draft downloading means in accordance with an instruction by said inventor, and an amended draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer the draft data amended by the draft amending means and the piece of invention report information designated by said inventor;

said second computer including a specification file memory means, and a draft entry means for entering respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first and third computers into said specification memory means, with the respective draft data and the pieces of invention report information being associated with each other; and

said third computer including a second draft downloading means for fetching from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person, a draft revision means for revising the draft data fetched by the second draft downloading means in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person, and a revised draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision means and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person a patent application document sending means for sending an application form and said revised draft data for filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as patent application document data to a computer of the United States Patent and Trademark Office; and

a proof sending means for receiving proof data, corresponding to said patent application document data, sent from the computer of the United States Patent and Trademark Office in response to said patent application document data, and sending the proof data, associated with the piece of invention report information corresponding to the proof data, to said second computer to enter the proof data into said specification file memory means.

4. A system for preparing patent specifications comprising a first computer, a second computer, a third computer, a fourth computer, and a communications network connecting said first computer, said second computer, said third computer and said fourth computer, said system comprising:

said first computer including a draft preparation means for entering patent specification draft data of a patent specification prepared by an inventor, a draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer respective patent specification draft data entered from said draft specification preparation means and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

said second computer including a specification file memory means, and a draft entry means for entering respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first and fourth computers into said specification memory means, with the respective draft data and the pieces of invention report information being associated with each other;

said third computer including an entry means for referencing, when patent specification draft data are transmitted from said first computer to said second computer, the patent specification draft data, searching a prior art reference database for reference data on the basis of the contents of the invention indicated by the patent specification draft data, associating searched reference data with the patent specification draft data and entering them into said specification file memory means; and

said fourth computer including a draft downloading means for fetching from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person and reference data related thereto, a draft revision means for revising the draft data fetched by the draft downloading means in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person having referenced to the related reference data fetched together with the draft data, and a revised draft uploading means for transmitting to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision means and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person.

5. A method for preparing patent specifications including:

a draft preparation step for a first computer to enter patent specification draft data for a patent specification prepared by an inventor;

a draft uploading step for said first computer to transmit to a second computer respective patent specification draft data entered at said draft preparation step and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

a notification step for said first computer to address an upload notification on said patent specification draft data, entered at said draft preparation step, to patent-application-filing person;

a draft entry step for said second computer to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into a specification file memory means;

a draft downloading step for a third computer to fetch from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person;

a draft revision step for said third computer to revise the draft data fetched at said draft downloading step in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person;

a revised draft uploading step for said third computer to transmit to said second computer the draft data revised at said draft revision step and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person; and

a revised draft entry step for said second computer to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information transmitted from said third computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into said specification file memory means.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 5, further including:

a template downloading step for the first computer to fetch from said second computer template data, which constitute a model for patent specifications, prior to said draft preparation step; and

said draft preparation step for said first computer to enter draft data for a patent specification prepared by said inventor'"'"'s entering sentences into said template data, fetched at said template downloading step.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 5, further including, after said revised draft uploading step:

a notification step for said third computer to address an upload notification on said revised draft data to said inventor.

8. A method for preparing patent specifications including:

a draft preparation step for a first computer to enter patent specification draft data for a patent specification prepared by an inventor;

a draft uploading step for said first computer to transmit to a second computer respective patent specification draft data entered at said draft preparation step and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

a draft entry step for said second computer to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into a specification file memory means;

a draft downloading step for a third computer to fetch from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person;

a draft revision step for said third computer to revise the draft data fetched at said draft downloading step in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person;

a revised draft uploading step for said third computer to transmit to said second computer the draft data revised at said draft revision step and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person;

a revised draft entry step for said second computer to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information transmitted from said third computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into said specification file memory means; and

a patent application document sending step for said third computer to send an application form and said revised draft data for filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as patent application document data to the computer of the United States Patent and Trademark Office; and

a proof sending step for said third computer to receive proof data, corresponding to said patent application document data, sent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office computer in response to said patent application document data, and send the proof data, associated with the piece of invention report information corresponding to the proof data, to said second computer to enter the proof data into said specification file memory means.

9. A method for preparing patent specifications including:

a draft preparation step for a first computer to enter patent specification draft data for a patent specification prepared by an inventor;

a draft uploading step for said first computer to transmit to a second computer respective patent specification draft data entered at said draft preparation step and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

a draft entry step for said second computer to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into a specification file memory means;

an entry step for a third computer to reference, when patent specification draft data are transmitted from said first computer to said second computer, the patent specification draft data, search a prior art reference database for reference data on the basis of the contents of the invention indicated by the patent specification draft data, associate searched reference data with the patent specification draft data and enter them into said specification file memory means;

a draft downloading step for a fourth computer to fetch from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by patent-application-filing person and reference data related thereto;

a draft revision step for said fourth computer to revise the draft data fetched at said draft downloading step in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person having referenced to the related reference data fetched together with the draft data;

a revised draft uploading step for said fourth computer to transmit to said second computer the draft data revised at said draft revision step and said piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person; and

a revised draft entry step for said second computer to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said fourth computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into said specification file memory means.

10. One or more recording media recording thereon a program enabling:

a first computer to execute draft preparation processing for entering patent specification draft data for a patent specification prepared by an inventor;

said first computer to execute draft upload processing to transmit to a second computer respective patent specification draft data entered by said draft preparation processing and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

said first computer to execute notification processing to address an upload notification on said patent specification draft data, entered by said draft preparation processing, to patent-application-filing person;

said second computer to execute draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into a specification file memory means;

a third computer to execute draft download processing to fetch from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person;

said third computer to execute draft revision processing to revise the draft data fetched by said draft download processing in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person;

said third computer to execute revised draft upload processing to transmit to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision processing and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person; and

said second computer to execute revised draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information transmitted from said third computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into said specification file memory means.

11. A group of recording media, wherein said program in claim 10 is divided into a plurality of portions and said portions are recorded on said media on a shared basis.

12. One or more recording media recording thereon a program enabling:

a first computer to execute draft preparation processing for entering patent specification draft data for a patent specification prepared by an inventor;

said first computer to execute draft upload processing to transmit to a second computer respective patent specification draft data entered by said draft preparation processing and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

said second computer to execute draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into a specification file memory means;

a third computer to execute draft download processing to fetch from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person;

said third computer to execute draft revision processing to revise the draft data fetched by said draft download processing in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person;

said third computer to execute revised draft upload processing to transmit to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision processing and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person;

said third computer to execute notification processing to address an upload notification on the draft data, entered by said draft revision processing, to said inventor; and

said second computer to execute revised draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information transmitted from said third computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into said specification file memory means.

13. One or more recording media recording thereon a program enabling:

a first computer to execute draft preparation processing for entering patent specification draft data for a patent specification prepared by an inventor;

said first computer to execute draft upload processing to transmit to a second computer respective patent specification draft data entered by said draft preparation processing and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

said second computer to execute draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into a specification file memory means;

a third computer to execute draft download processing to fetch from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by a patent-application-filing person;

said third computer to execute draft revision processing to revise the draft data fetched by said draft download processing in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person;

said third computer to execute revised draft upload processing to transmit to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision processing and the piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person;

said second computer to execute revised draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information transmitted from said third computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into said specification file memory means;

said third computer to execute patent application document send processing to send an application form and said revised draft data for filing with the Patent Office as patent application document data to the computer of said Patent Office; and

said third computer to execute proof send processing to receive proof data, corresponding to said patent application document data, sent from said Patent Office computer in response to said patent application document data, and send the proof data, associated with the piece of invention report information corresponding to the proof data, to said second computer to enter the proof data into said specification file memory means.

14. One or more recording media recording thereon a program enabling:

a first computer to execute draft preparation processing to enter patent specification draft data for a patent specification prepared by an inventor;

said first computer to execute draft upload processing to transmit to a second computer respective patent specification draft data entered by said draft preparation processing and a piece of invention report information for identifying the respective patent specification draft data;

said second computer to execute draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said first computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into a specification file memory means;

a third computer to execute entry processing to reference, when patent specification draft data are transmitted from said first computer to said second computer, the patent specification draft data, search a prior art reference database for reference data on the basis of the contents of the invention indicated by the patent specification draft data, associate searched reference data with the patent specification draft data and enter them into said specification file memory means;

a fourth computer to execute draft download processing to fetch from said second computer patent specification draft data corresponding to a piece of invention report information designated by patent-application-filing person and reference data related thereto;

said fourth computer to execute draft revision processing to revise the draft data fetched by said draft download processing in accordance with an instruction by said patent-application-filing person having referenced to the related reference data fetched together with the draft data;

said fourth computer to execute revised draft upload processing to transmit to said second computer the draft data revised by said draft revision processing and said piece of invention report information designated by said patent-application-filing person; and

said second computer to execute revised draft entry processing to enter respective patent specification draft data and said piece of invention report information for identifying the respective draft data, transmitted from said fourth computer, the data and the information being associated with each other, into said specification file memory means.