Methods and systems for managing invention disclosures

• US 6,654,767 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: McAnaney, Brian T., NcNamara, Mary McCrea, Bandon, William E. III, Testa, Jean Kelly, Kahn, Stephen D., Mattson, Todd L., Patnode, Patrick Kennedy
• Primary Examiner(s): AMSBURY, WAYNE P
• Application Number:
  US09/751,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/102, 715/507
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Methods and systems for management of invention disclosures, in one exemplary embodiment, utilizes a system including a server and at least one device connected to the server via a network. The system restricts access of users based upon job description. In addition, the system facilitates evaluation of each invention disclosure by storing invention disclosure information input by users and sorting invention disclosures based on criteria input by the submitter as well as by other multiple users via the device. Invention disclosure information is based upon at least one of an innovation disclosure, a patentability assessment, an intrinsic value assessment, a competitive value assessment and an overall assessment of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for management of invention disclosures using a system including a server and at least one device connected to the server via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving invention disclosure information from a user via the device by uploading an invention disclosure form, the invention disclosure form includes at least one of a submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, any known prior art related to the innovation, government contract data, awareness of other patents, and any results from a prior art search; and

sorting invention disclosures based on criteria input by a user via the device.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein data entry fields for at least one of submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, and any known prior art related to the innovation are required to have data entered before an upload to the system is allowed.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein title fields for at least one of a descriptive title, a brief summary, identification of other innovators, chronological information, a background of the innovation, known prior art, and a miscellaneous section are configured as links, selection of such links causing a description of the title field to be displayed.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying a named innovator by E-mail when named as an innovator within a submitted invention disclosure.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising the step inquiring by E-mail whether the named innovator wishes to become an authorized user of the system if not an authorized user already.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying at least one of the co-innovators, an attorney, a lab manager and a docket clerk by E-mail upon submission of an invention disclosure.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of indicating which user has last modified any of the fields within the invention disclosure form.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of uploading a patentability assessment.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said step of uploading a patentability assessment further comprises the step of selecting answers to patentability questions, selection of which causes further patentability questions or statements to be displayed.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of uploading an intrinsic value assessment of the innovation.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of uploading a competitive value assessment of the innovation.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of uploading an overall assessment of the innovation.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said step of uploading an overall assessment of the innovation further comprises the step of uploading an assessment of an invention disclosure as one of negligible, moderate, substantial, and supreme.

14. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a manager'"'"'s innovation handbook.

15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting a browse disclosures link.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said step of selecting a browse disclosures link further comprises the step of selecting to view by one of submittor, title, ID, date, business, and inventor.

17. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting a browse by ratings link.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said step of selecting a browse by ratings link further comprises the step of selecting to view by one of intrinsic value, competitive value, and overall assessment.

19. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of restricting access to the invention disclosure system to registered users.

20. A method according to claim 19 further comprising the step of sending a temporary password to an authorized user by E-mail if the authorized user has indicated that they have forgotten their password.

21. A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of limiting access the invention disclosure database to registered users further comprises the step of configuring the system where a user can register to become an authorized user.

22. A method according to claim 21 further comprising the step of assigning passwords to newly authorized users automatically through the system.

23. A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of limiting access the invention disclosure database to registered users further comprises the step of establishing new user accounts through a system manager.

24. A method according to claim 23 further comprising the step of having the system manager assign passwords to newly authorized users.

25. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of limiting functions accessible to users of the invention disclosure database based upon job function.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein said step of limiting functions accessible to users based upon job function further comprises the step of limiting access to discussion forums to legal personnel to preserve an attorney-client privilege with respect to such discussions.

27. A method according to claim 25 wherein said step of limiting functions accessible to users based upon job function further comprises the step of limiting access to comment fields within an invention disclosure form to reviewers of invention disclosures.

28. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of automatically assigning a questionnaire ID to a submitted invention disclosure.

29. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of saving an invention disclosure as a draft, with no questionnaire ID assigned.

30. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of sorting invention disclosures further comprises the step of selecting a link to a discussion forum.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein said step of selecting a link to a discussion forum further comprises the step of sorting discussion forums for viewing or comment by one of ID, author and date.

32. A method according to claim 31 further comprising the step of selecting a discussion forum topic.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein said step of selecting a discussion forum topic further comprises the step of selecting one of a new topic or a response to a topic.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein said step of selecting one of a new topic or a response to a topic further comprises the step of submitting a topic to the discussion forum.

35. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of attaching files to the invention disclosure.

36. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving invention disclosure information further comprises the step of indicating which components of a corporation would be interested in such an invention.

37. A method according to claim 36 further comprising the step of indicating at least one of keywords and product lines which may be affected by the invention.

38. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of allowing a user to access a status regarding a previously stored invention disclosure.

39. An invention disclosure management system comprising:

at least one computer;

a server configured with an invention disclosure database and an invention disclosure management user interface, said server further configured to utilize an invention disclosure form to upload and store user input regarding invention disclosures in said database, said invention disclosure form configured with data entry fields for accepting user input, said data entry fields including at least one of a submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, any known prior art related to the innovation, government contract data, awareness of other patents, and results from a prior art search; and

a network connecting said server to said computer.

40. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is configured to require data entry into at least one of submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, any known prior art related to the innovation, government contract data, awareness of other patents, and results from a prior art search data entry fields before any data is uploaded to said server.

41. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is configured with title fields for at least one of a descriptive title, a brief summary, identification of other innovators, chronological information, a background of the innovation, known prior art, and a miscellaneous section, said title fields configured as links, selection of one of said title fields causing a description of the selected title field to be displayed.

42. A system according to claim 41 wherein said server is configured to notify by E-mail identified innovators in an uploaded invention disclosure form.

43. A system according to claim 42 wherein said server is configured to inquire by E-mail whether the named innovator wishes to become an authorized user of the system if not an authorized user already.

44. A system according to claim 41 wherein said server is configured to notify at least one of the co-innovators, an attorney, a lab manager and a docket clerk by E-mail upon submission of an invention disclosure.

45. A system according to claim 41 further comprising the step of indicating which user has last modified any of the fields within the invention disclosure form.

46. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server further configured with a patentability assessment form further configured with data entry fields to accept user answers to patentability questions for upload and storage in said database.

47. A system according to claim 46 wherein said server is configured to present further patentability questions and statements, based upon answers chosen on said patentability assessment form.

48. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server further configured with an assessment of intrinsic value form further configured with data entry fields to accept user input for upload and storage in said database.

49. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server further configured with an assessment of competitive value form further configured with data entry fields to accept user input for upload and storage in said database.

50. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server further configured with an overall assessment form further configured with data entry fields to accept user input for upload and storage in said database.

51. A system according to claim 50 wherein said overall assessment form further configured to upload an overall assessment of an invention disclosure as one of negligible, moderate, substantial, or supreme to the invention disclosure database.

52. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server further configured with a manager'"'"'s innovation handbook.

53. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server further configured with links to browse the invention disclosure database.

54. A system according to claim 53 wherein said links comprise at least one of submittor, title, ID, date, business, inventor, intrinsic value, competitive value and overall assessment.

55. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server further configured to restrict access to said invention disclosure database.

56. A system according to claim 55 wherein said server further configured to send a temporary password to an authorized user by E-mail if the authorized user had indicated they have forgotten their password.

57. A system according to claim 55 wherein said server is configured to allow new users to register as authorized users.

58. A system according to claim 57 wherein said server is configured to assign passwords newly authorized users.

59. A system according to claim 55 wherein said server is configured with a system manager account wherein only a system manager can establish new user accounts.

60. A system according to claim 59 wherein said server is configured to allow the system manager to assign passwords to newly authorized users.

61. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is configured to limit functions accessible to users of the invention disclosure database based upon job function.

62. A system according to claim 61 wherein said server is configured with discussion forums, access to said discussion forums limited to legal personnel.

63. A system according to claim 61 wherein said server is configured with comment fields, access to said comment fields limited to reviewers of invention disclosures.

64. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is further configured to automatically assign a questionnaire ID to an uploaded invention disclosure.

65. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is further configured to save an invention disclosure as a draft, with no questionnaire ID being assigned.

66. A system according to claim 65 wherein said server is configured to sort discussion forums by at least one of ID, author and date.

67. A system according to claim 66 wherein said discussion forums are configured with topics configured as links.

68. A system according to claim 67 wherein said server is configured with selections for one of a response to a selected discussion forum topic and a new topic for discussion within said discussion forum.

69. A system according to claim 68 wherein said server is configured to upload and store one of a response to a selected discussion forum topic and a new topic for discussion within said discussion forum.

70. A system according to claim 39 wherein said network is at least one of the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), dial-in-connections, cable modems and special high-speed ISDN lines.

71. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is configured to attach files to the invention disclosure.

72. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is configured to store information which indicates components of a corporation that would be interested in such an invention.

73. A system according to claim 72 wherein said server is configured to indicate at least one of keywords and product lines which may be affected by the invention.

74. A system according to claim 39 wherein said server is configured to allow a user to access a status regarding a previously stored invention disclosure.

75. A method for management of invention disclosures using an invention disclosure management system, said method comprising the steps of:

completing and submitting an invention disclosure form; and

completing and submitting assessment forms, including at least one of a patentability assessment form, an intrinsic value assessment form, a competitive value assessment form and an overall assessment form.

76. A method according to claim 75 wherein said step of completing and submitting an invention disclosure form further comprises the step of submitting at least one of a submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, any known prior art related to the innovation, government contract data, awareness of other patents, and any results from a prior art search.

77. A method according to claim 75 wherein said step of completing and submitting an overall assessment form further comprises the step of selecting an assessment of the invention disclosure as one of negligible, moderate, substantial, and supreme.

78. Apparatus comprising:

means for receiving invention disclosure information from a user by displaying an invention disclosure form, said invention disclosure information comprising at least one of a submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, any known prior art related to the innovation, government contract data, awareness of other patents, and any results from a prior art search;

means for sorting invention disclosures based on user input; and

means for receiving inputs regarding the invention disclosures from other users.

79. Apparatus according to claim 78 further comprising means for displaying descriptions describing at least one of the descriptive title, the brief summary of the innovation, the identification of other innovators, the chronological data for the innovation, and the background of the innovation.

80. Apparatus according to claim 78 wherein said means for means for receiving invention disclosure information comprises means for displaying at least one of a patentability assessment, an intrinsic value assessment, a competitive value assessment and an overall assessment of an innovation.

81. Apparatus according to claim 78 wherein said means for sorting invention disclosures comprises means to browse disclosures by at least one of submitter, title, ID, date, business name and inventor.

82. Apparatus according to claim 78 wherein said means for sorting invention disclosures comprises means to browse disclosures by ratings including at least one of intrinsic value, competitive value and overall assessment.

83. Apparatus according to claim 78 further comprising means to restrict access to said apparatus to authorized users of the apparatus.

84. Apparatus according to claim 78 wherein said means for receiving inputs regarding the invention disclosures from other users further comprises means for holding discussion forums regarding the invention disclosures.

85. Apparatus according to claim 78 wherein said means for receiving inputs regarding the invention disclosures from other users further comprises means for supplying comment fields where the other users may comment on the invention disclosures.

86. Apparatus according to claim 78 further comprising means to notify innovators that have been named in an invention disclosure.

87. A computer-readable medium comprising:

a record of submitted invention disclosures, said record of invention disclosures comprising at least one of a submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, any known prior art related to the innovation, government contract data, awareness of other patents, and any results from a prior art search;

a plurality of rules for formatting invention disclosures and allowing access to the invention disclosures; and

a record of reviews and discussions regarding the submitted invention disclosures.

88. A computer-readable medium according to claim 87 wherein said record of invention disclosures comprises at least one of a patentability assessment, an intrinsic value assessment, a competitive value assessment and an overall assessment of the innovation.

89. A computer-readable medium according to claim 87 further comprising a manager'"'"'s innovation handbook.

90. A computer-readable medium according to claim 87 wherein said plurality of rules for formatting invention disclosures further comprises rules for formatting invention disclosure by at least one of submittor, title, ID, date, business, inventor, intrinsic value, competitive value, overall assessment and author.

91. A method for management of invention disclosure and assessment forms using an invention disclosure management system, said method comprising the steps of:

sorting submitted forms based on one or more selected criteria;

reviewing completed invention disclosure form and assessment forms including browsing the invention disclosures by sorting according to at least one of intrinsic value, competitive value, and overall assessment; and

providing an input concerning the invention disclosure.

92. A method according to claim 91 wherein said step of sorting submitted forms comprises the step of limiting access to the submitted forms to authorized personnel based upon job function.

93. A computer-readable medium for programming a computer to perform the steps of:

record submitted invention disclosures wherein said invention disclosure record comprises at least one of a submittor name, a business unit, a project name, a project manager name, a descriptive title, a brief summary of the innovation, identification of other innovators, chronological data for the innovation, a background of the innovation, any known prior art related to the innovation, government contract data, awareness of other patents, and any results from a prior art search;

execute rules for formatting invention disclosures and allowing access to the invention disclosures; and

record reviews and discussions regarding the submitted invention disclosures.

94. A computer-readable medium according to claim 93 wherein said invention disclosure record comprises at least one of a patentability assessment, an intrinsic value assessment, a competitive value assessment and an overall assessment of the innovation.

95. A computer-readable medium according to claim 93 wherein said rules for formatting invention disclosures comprises rules for formatting invention disclosure by at least one of submittor, title, ID, date, business, inventor, intrinsic value, competitive value, overall assessment and author.