Digital identifiers and digital identifier control systems for intellectual properties

• US 6,885,999 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Corless, Peter P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US09/568,651
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 59, 707 9- 10, 707100-104, 707/200, 707/205, 715/513, 380201-203, 713150-157, 713164-169
• US Class Current: 705/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and system thereof for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system. A unique digital identifier is assigned to each of the intellectual properties. The digital identifier includes an attribute associating a respective intellectual property to the intellectual property management system and an attribute specifying a source for the digital identifier. One class of digital identifier is assigned to all known instantiations of the respective intellectual property. A second class of digital identifies assigns a unique digital identifier to each specific instantiation of a respective intellectual property. The digital identifiers are stored in a registry. The digital identifier may also be embedded within the intellectual property, or it may be inscribed within a document or element which accompanies, proceeds, follows, or is otherwise related to the intellectual property. Characteristics and meta-data are also assigned to the intellectual property for searching, tracking, classifying and understanding the intellectual property.

Claims

1. A method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system, said method comprising:

assigning a unique digital identifier to an intellectual property, wherein said digital identifier comprises a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property, said digital identifier comprising an attribute associating said intellectual property to said intellectual property management system, wherein said digital identifier comprises multiple strings that provide information about said intellectual property and wherein further said digital identifier is parsable into XML (Extensible Markup Language) elements;

assigning said digital identifier to known instantiations of said intellectual property;

storing said digital identifier in a registry; and

enabling executable links that link said digital identifier and other URIs that point to intellectual property elements that describe characteristics of said intellectual property, said intellectual property elements comprising at least one of a digital feature element that describes features of said intellectual property, a digital rights element that describes legal rights and limitations associated with said intellectual property and a digital license element that provides a license for said intellectual property, wherein an intellectual property element having an executable link to said intellectual property is automatically accessed in response to a request for said intellectual property by selection and execution of said executable link.

2. The method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

specifying information associated with characteristics of an intellectual property that is being looked for; and

performing a search to identify which of said intellectual properties satisfy said characteristics.

3. The method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

parsing said digital identifier to transform said digital identifier into and out of XML (Extensible Markup Language) elements.

4. The method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining said characteristics of said intellectual property by reading a portion of said digital identifier.

5. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to said bus; and

a memory unit coupled to said bus, said memory unit containing instructions that when executed implement a computer-implemented method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system, said method comprising;

assigning a unique digital identifier to an intellectual property, wherein said digital identifier comprises a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property, said digital identifier comprising an attribute associating said intellectual property to said intellectual property management system, wherein said digital identifier comprises multiple strings that provide information about said intellectual property and wherein further said digital identifier is parsable into XML (Extensible Markup Language) elements;

assigning said digital identifier to known instantiations of said intellectual property;

storing said digital identifier in a registry; and

enabling executable links that link between said digital identifier and other URIs that point to intellectual property elements that describe characteristics of said intellectual property, said intellectual property elements comprising at least one of a digital feature element that describes features of said intellectual property, a digital rights element that describes legal rights and limitations associated with said intellectual property and a digital license element that provides a license for said intellectual property, wherein an intellectual property element having an executable link to said intellectual property is automatically accessed in response to a request for said intellectual property by selection and execution of said executable link.

6. The computer system of claim 5 wherein said processor performs said method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system further comprising:

specifying information associated with characteristics of an intellectual property that is being looked for; and

performing a search to identify which of said intellectual properties satisfy said characteristics.

7. The computer system of claim 5 wherein said processor performs said method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system further comprising:

parsing said digital identifier to transform said digital identifier into and out of XML (Extensible Markup Language) elements.

8. The computer system of claim 5 wherein said processor performs said method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system further comprising:

determining said characteristics of said intellectual property by reading a portion of said digital identifier.

9. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for controlling intellectual properties in an intellectual property management system, said method comprising:

assigning a unique digital identifier to an intellectual property, wherein said digital identifier comprises a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that points to an instantiation of said intellectual property, said digital identifier comprising an attribute associating said intellectual property to said intellectual property management system, wherein said digital identifier comprises multiple strings that provide information about said intellectual property and wherein further said digital identifier is parsable into XML (Extensible Markup Language) elements;

assigning said digital identifier to known instantiations of said intellectual property;

storing said digital identifier in a registry; and

enabling executable links that link said digital identifier and other URIs that point to intellectual property elements that describe characteristics of said intellectual property, said intellectual property elements comprising at least one of a digital feature element that describes features of said intellectual property, a digital rights element that describes legal rights and limitations associated with said intellectual property and a digital license element that provides a license for said intellectual property, wherein an intellectual property element having an executable link to said intellectual property is automatically accessed in response to a request for said intellectual property by selection and execution of said executable link.

10. The computer-usable medium of claim 9 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

specifying information associated with characteristics of an intellectual property that is being looked for; and

performing a search to identify which of said intellectual properties satisfy said characteristics.

11. The computer-usable medium of claim 9 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

parsing said digital identifier to transform said digital identifier into and out of XML (Extensible Markup Language) elements.

12. The computer-usable medium of claim 9 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes a computer system to perform said method comprising:

determining said characteristics of said intellectual property by reading a portion of said digital identifier.