System and method for selecting and protecting intellectual property assets

• US 7,127,405 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.), BellSouth Intellectual Property Management Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frank, Scott M., Sherwood, Amy L., Beckham, Carol T., Arena, Christopher M., Evans, Sandra J., McLendon, Martin L., Short, Shannon M., Bishop, Michael, Meadows, Vernon, Delgado, Marcus, Lantz, Harrison
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US09/750,130
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/3, 705/7, 707/1, 707/3, 707/5, 707/6
• US Class Current: 705/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for intellectual property asset selection and protection. In an embodiment, an intellectual property selection system receives from an innovator an innovation submission describing an innovation. An intellectual property protection system receives at least a portion of the innovation submission and manages obtaining an intellectual property legal right related to the innovation. An intellectual property asset management system receives and stores at least one of an innovation description and an intellectual property legal right description, where the innovation description is based at least in part on the at least a portion of the innovation submission and the intellectual property legal right description is based at least in part on the intellectual property legal right.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having a program for use with a computer for receiving subject matter submission information and for selecting at least one intellectual property rights protection system of a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information, the program comprising:

logic for receiving, in an intellectual property rights protection selection system, subject matter submission information associated with subject matter;

logic for accessing intellectual property law data stored in at least one intellectual property law database, wherein the intellectual property law database is accessible by the intellectual property rights protection selection system through the logic for accessing the intellectual property law data;

logic for accessing intellectual property business data stored in at least one intellectual property business database, wherein the intellectual property business database is accessible by the intellectual property rights protection selection system through the logic for accessing the intellectual property business data;

logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database;

logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database;

logic for selecting, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, responsive to the comparison of the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database, and responsive to the comparison of the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database, at least one intellectual property rights protection system of a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information; and

logic for sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, wherein the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes at least one of a trademark protection system, a trade secret protection system, a copyright protection system, and a patent protection system.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the intellectual property law data is selected from the group consisting of intellectual property statutes, intellectual property case law, intellectual property law articles, and intellectual property legal analysis.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the intellectual property business data is selected from the group consisting of strategic technology information, core products information, competition information, and market information.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic for receiving, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, subject matter submission information associated with subject matter includes logic for prompting a user for the subject matter submission information.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the logic for prompting the user for the subject matter submission information includes logic for sending to the user a plurality of queries soliciting replies from the user.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the logic for prompting the user for the subject matter submission information includes logic for sending to the user a web browser-based form including a plurality of questions and logic for automatically returning the answers to intellectual property rights protection selection system upon completion by the user of the web browser-based form.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter than can be protected by a particular type of intellectual property rights protection corresponding to at least one of the intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the intellectual property law data stored in the intellectual property law database includes data corresponding to a plurality of specific examples of types of subject matter that can be protected by at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, and wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that is similar to at least one specific example of the plurality of specific examples of types of subject matter that can be protected by the at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the intellectual property law data stored in the intellectual property law database includes data corresponding to a plurality of legal criteria defining a plurality of types of subject matter that can be protected by at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, and wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that meets the plurality of legal criteria defining the plurality of types of subject matter that can be protected by the at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the intellectual property business data stored in the intellectual property business database includes data corresponding to strategic business goals of an organization, and wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that meets the strategic business goals of the organization to which the intellectual property business data stored in the intellectual property business database corresponds.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems that can be utilized to potentially obtain intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter of the subject matter submission information.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes logic for, responsive to selecting a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter associated with the subject matter submission, creating a plurality of duplicate sets of linked data records, and wherein the logic for sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes logic for sending one of the duplicate sets of linked data records to each selected intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of selected intellectual property rights protection systems.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes logic for, responsive to selecting a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter associated with the subject matter submission, creating a single set of data records, and wherein the logic for sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes logic for enabling each selected intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of selected intellectual property rights protection systems for processing of the single set of data records.

14. A method for use with a computer for receiving subject matter submission information and for selecting at least one intellectual property rights protection system of a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information, the method comprising steps of:

receiving, in an intellectual property rights protection selection system, subject matter submission information associated with subject matter;

accessing intellectual property law data stored in at least one intellectual property law database, wherein the intellectual property law database is accessible by the intellectual property rights protection selection system through the logic for accessing the intellectual property law data;

accessing intellectual property business data stored in at least one intellectual property business database, wherein the intellectual property business database is accessible by the intellectual property rights protection selection system through the logic for accessing the intellectual property business data;

automatically comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database;

automatically comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database;

automatically selecting, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, responsive to the comparison of the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database, and responsive to the comparison of the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database, at least one intellectual property rights protection system of a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information; and

sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the automatically selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, wherein the automatically selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes at least one of a trademark protection system, a trade secret protection system, a copyright protection system, and a patent protection system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the intellectual property law data is selected from the group consisting of intellectual property statutes, intellectual property case law, intellectual property law articles, and intellectual property legal analysis.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the intellectual property business data is selected from the group consisting of strategic technology information, core products information, competition information, and market information.

17. The method of claim 14, further including a step of prompting a user for subject matter submission information prior to the step of receiving, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, subject matter submission information associated with subject matter.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of prompting the user for the subject matter submission information includes sending to the user a plurality of queries soliciting replies from the user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of prompting the user for the subject matter submission information includes sending to the user a web browser-based form including a plurality of questions and logic for automatically returning the answers to intellectual property rights protection selection system upon completion by the user of the web browser-based form.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of automatically comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes automatically determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter than can be protected by a particular type of intellectual property rights protection corresponding to at least one of the intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the intellectual property law data stored in the intellectual property law database includes data corresponding to a plurality of specific examples of types of subject matter that can be protected by at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, and wherein the step of automatically comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes automatically determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that is similar to at least one specific example of the plurality of specific examples of types of subject matter that can be protected by the at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the intellectual property law data stored in the intellectual property law database includes data corresponding to a plurality of legal criteria defining a plurality of types of subject matter that can be protected by at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, and wherein the step of automatically comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes automatically determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that meets the plurality of legal criteria defining the plurality of types of subject matter that can be protected by the at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the intellectual property business data stored in the intellectual property business database includes data corresponding to strategic business goals of an organization, and wherein the step of automatically comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database includes automatically determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that meets the strategic business goals of the organization to which the intellectual property business data stored in the intellectual property business database corresponds.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of automatically selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes automatically selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems that can be utilized to potentially obtain intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter of the subject matter submission information.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of automatically selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes, responsive to automatically selecting a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter associated with the subject matter submission, creating a plurality of duplicate sets of linked data records, and wherein the step of sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the automatically selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes sending one of the duplicate sets of linked data records to each selected intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of selected intellectual property rights protection systems.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of automatically selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes, responsive to automatically selecting a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter associated with the subject matter submission, creating a single set of data records, and wherein the step of sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the automatically selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes enabling each automatically selected intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of automatically selected intellectual property rights protection systems for processing of the single set of data records.

27. A computer system programmed as an intellectual property rights protection selection system for receiving subject matter submission information and for selecting at least one intellectual property rights protection system of a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information, the computer system comprising:

logic for receiving, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, subject matter submission information associated with subject matter;

logic for accessing intellectual property law data stored in at least one intellectual property law database, wherein the intellectual property law database is accessible by the intellectual property rights protection selection system through the logic for accessing the intellectual property law data;

logic for accessing intellectual property business data stored in at least one intellectual property business database, wherein the intellectual property business database is accessible by the intellectual property rights protection selection system through the logic for accessing the intellectual property business data;

logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database;

logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database;

logic for selecting, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, responsive to the comparison of the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database, and responsive to the comparison of the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database, at least one intellectual property rights protection system of a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information; and

logic for sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, wherein the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes at least one of a trademark protection system, a trade secret protection system, a copyright protection system, and a patent protection system.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the intellectual property law data is selected from the group consisting of intellectual property statutes, intellectual property case law, intellectual property law articles, and intellectual property legal analysis.

29. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the intellectual property business data is selected from the group consisting of strategic technology information, core products information, competition information, and market information.

30. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the logic for receiving, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, subject matter submission information associated with subject matter includes logic for prompting a user for the subject matter submission information.

31. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the logic for prompting the user for the subject matter submission information includes logic for sending to the user a plurality of queries soliciting replies from the user.

32. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the logic for prompting the user for the subject matter submission information includes logic for sending to the user a web browser-based form including a plurality of questions and logic for automatically returning the answers to intellectual property rights protection selection system upon completion by the user of the web browser-based form.

33. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter than can be protected by a particular type of intellectual property rights protection corresponding to at least one of the intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems.

34. The computer system of claim 33, wherein the intellectual property law data stored in the intellectual property law database includes data corresponding to a plurality of specific examples of types of subject matter that can be protected by at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, and wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that is similar to at least one specific example of the plurality of specific examples of types of subject matter that can be protected by the at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system.

35. The computer system of claim 33, wherein the intellectual property law data stored in the intellectual property law database includes data corresponding to a plurality of legal criteria defining a plurality of types of subject matter that can be protected by at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems, and wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property law data from the intellectual property law database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that meets the plurality of legal criteria defining the plurality of types of subject matter that can be protected by the at least one corresponding intellectual property rights protection system.

36. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the intellectual property business data stored in the intellectual property business database includes data corresponding to strategic business goals of an organization, and wherein the logic for comparing, in the intellectual property rights protection selection system, the subject matter submission information against the intellectual property business data from the intellectual property business database includes determining if the subject matter submission information includes a description of subject matter that meets the strategic business goals of the organization to which the intellectual property business data stored in the intellectual property business database corresponds.

37. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems that can be utilized to potentially obtain intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter of the subject matter submission information.

38. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes logic for, responsive to selecting a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter associated with the subject matter submission, creating a plurality of duplicate sets of linked data records, and wherein the logic for sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes logic for sending one of the duplicate sets of linked data records to each selected intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of selected intellectual property rights protection systems.

39. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the logic for selecting the at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for subject matter associated with the subject matter submission information includes logic for, responsive to selecting a plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems for intellectual property rights protection for the subject matter associated with the subject matter submission, creating a single set of data records, and wherein the logic for sending at least a portion of the subject matter submission information to the selected at least one intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of intellectual property rights protection systems includes logic for enabling each selected intellectual property rights protection system of the plurality of selected intellectual property rights protection systems for processing of the single set of data records.