System and method for determining the marketability of intellectual property assets

• US 7,346,518 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T BLS Intelectual Property Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frank, Scott M., Beckham, Carol T., McLendon, Martin, Short, Shannon M., Bishop, Michael, Meadows, Vernon, Overcash, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US09/750,154
• Time in Patent Office: 2,636 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10
• US Class Current: 705/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and systems for determining whether to market an intellectual property asset, where the intellectual property asset is based at least in part on an innovation developed for an internal need. In an embodiment, a description of an intellectual property asset is received, and an assessment of the marketability of the intellectual property asset is generated based at least in part on the description of an intellectual property asset and a marketing criterion.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether to market an intellectual property rights asset, the method comprising:

receiving intellectual property rights asset protection data, wherein the intellectual property rights asset protection data includes protection data corresponding to a plurality of intellectual property rights assets, wherein each intellectual property rights asset is defined and maintained as an asset by the existence of legally-enforceable intellectual property protection rights pertaining to that intellectual property asset;

storing the intellectual property rights asset protection data in an intellectual property rights asset protection database including a plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records, wherein each intellectual property rights asset protection data record of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records in the intellectual property rights asset protection database corresponds to at least one intellectual property rights asset;

providing intellectual property rights asset protection data from at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record in the intellectual property rights asset protection database for at least one intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system; and

determining, utilizing a computer system of the intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system, an intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset for prioritization of marketing opportunities among the plurality of intellectual property rights assets, including

determining a market potential assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

determining a marketing project timeframe assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

determining a projected revenue potential assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

determining a competitive threat assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset, and

determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset based at least in part on the determined market potential assessment, the marketing project timeframe assessment, the projected revenue potential assessment, and the competitive threat assessment.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining an intangible value assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

wherein the marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset is further based at least in part on the determined intangible value assessment.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising determining that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed when the marketing opportunity assessment satisfies a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a marketing potential assessment further includes determining an intellectual property rights product viability assessment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a marketing project timeframe assessment further includes determining an intellectual property rights product marketing readiness assessment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a projected revenue potential assessment further includes determining a projected total anticipated revenue assessment.

7. A computer-readable medium containing a program for use in a computer for determining whether to market an intellectual property rights asset, the program comprising:

receiving intellectual property rights asset protection data, wherein the intellectual property rights asset protection data includes protection data corresponding to a plurality of intellectual property rights assets, wherein each intellectual property rights asset is defined and maintained as an asset by the existence of legally-enforceable intellectual property protection rights pertaining to that intellectual property rights asset;

storing the intellectual property rights asset protection data in an intellectual property rights asset protection database including a plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records, wherein each intellectual property rights asset protection data record of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records in the intellectual property rights asset protection database corresponds to at least one intellectual property rights asset;

providing intellectual property rights asset protection data from at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record in the intellectual property rights asset protection database for at least one intellectual property asset to an intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system; and

determining by the intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system an intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset for prioritization of marketing opportunities among the plurality of intellectual property rights assets, wherein the determining includes generating an assessment of the marketability of the intellectual property rights asset corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database, based at least in part on the intellectual property rights asset protection data and on a criterion, wherein the criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property rights asset to a customer will have a non-royalty impact on a marketer of the intellectual property rights asset, wherein the determining of the intellectual property marketing opportunity score includes a comparative analysis of information from a database of historical data regarding valuations of at least one other intellectual property rights asset.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the

criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property customer will give the customer a competitive advantage over the marketer of the intellectual property rights asset.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the

criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property customer will increase a potential for future commercially advantageous transactions by the marketer of the intellectual property rights asset with the customer.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the

criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property customer will foster internal organizational relations.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the program further comprising:

determining that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed when the generated assessment satisfies a predetermined threshold.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the program further comprising:

determining that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed based at least in part on a comparison of the generated assessment with one or more assessments of the marketability of other intellectual property rights assets.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the program further comprising generating a marketing recommendation based at least in part on the generated assessment.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the marketing recommendation is an absolute recommendation based at least in part on a predetermined threshold.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the marketing recommendation is a relative recommendation based at least in part on a comparison of the generated assessment with one or more assessments of the marketability of other intellectual property rights assets.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the criterion is selected from the group consisting of a marketing viability criterion, a potential customer criterion, a competitive criterion, a market potential criterion, a development criterion, an ownership criterion, a patent status criterion, an interested customer criterion, a deal complexity criterion, a time to closing criterion, a competitive advantage criterion, a future deals criterion, a customer relationship criterion, an internal political criterion, and a public relations criterion.

17. A method for determining whether to market an intellectual property rights asset, the method comprising:

receiving intellectual property rights asset protection data, wherein the intellectual property rights asset protection data includes protection data corresponding to a plurality of intellectual property rights assets, wherein each intellectual property rights asset is defined and maintained as an asset by the existence of legally-enforceable intellectual property protection rights pertaining to that intellectual property rights asset;

storing the intellectual property rights asset protection data in an intellectual property rights asset protection database including a plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records, wherein each intellectual property rights asset protection data record of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records in the intellectual property rights asset protection database corresponds to at least one intellectual property rights asset;

providing intellectual property rights asset protection data from at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record in the intellectual property asset rights protection database for at least one intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system; and

generating, utilizing a computer system of the intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system, an intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset for prioritization of marketing opportunities among the plurality of intellectual property rights assets, including generating an assessment of the marketability of the at least one intellectual property rights asset corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database based at least in part on the intellectual property rights asset protection data and on a criterion, wherein the criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property customer will have a non-royalty impact on a marketer of the intellectual property rights asset.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein

the criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property right asset to the intellectual property customer will give the intellectual property customer a competitive advantage over the marketer of the intellectual property rights asset.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein

the criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property rights asset to the intellectual property customer will increase a potential for future commercially advantageous transactions by the marketer with the intellectual property customer.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the criterion includes whether marketing the intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property customer will foster internal organizational relations.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein

the criterion includes a protection status associated with the intellectual property rights asset.

22. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

determining that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed when the generated assessment satisfies a predetermined threshold.

23. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

determining that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed based at least in part on a comparison of the generated assessment with one or more assessments of the marketability of other intellectual property rights assets.

24. A computer-readable medium containing a program for use with a computer for determining whether to market an intellectual property rights asset, the program comprising:

receiving intellectual property rights asset protection data, wherein the intellectual property rights asset protection data includes protection data corresponding to a plurality of intellectual property rights assets, wherein each intellectual property rights asset is defined and maintained as an asset by the existence of legally-enforceable intellectual property protection rights pertaining to that intellectual property rights asset;

storing the intellectual property rights asset protection data in an intellectual property rights asset protection database including a plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records, wherein each intellectual property rights asset protection data record of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records in the intellectual property asset rights protection database corresponds to at least one intellectual property rights asset;

providing intellectual property rights asset protection data from at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record in the intellectual property rights asset protection database for at least one intellectual property rights asset to an intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system; and

determining an intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset for prioritization of marketing opportunities among the plurality of intellectual property rights assets, including

determining a market potential assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

determining a marketing project timeframe assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

determining a projected revenue potential assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

determining a competitive threat assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset, and

determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset based at least in part on the determined market potential assessment, the marketing project timeframe assessment, the projected revenue potential assessment, and the competitive threat assessment.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, the program further comprising:

determining an intangible value assessment corresponding to the at least one intellectual property rights asset protection data record from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset,

wherein the marketing opportunity assessment for the intellectual property rights asset is further based at least in part on the determined intangible value assessment.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, the program further comprising determining that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed when the marketing opportunity assessment satisfies a predetermined threshold.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the marketing potential assessment includes a product viability assessment.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the marketing project timeframe assessment includes a product marketing readiness assessment.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the projected revenue potential assessment includes a projected total anticipated revenue assessment.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the marketing criterion is selected from the group consisting of a marketing viability criterion, a potential customer criterion, a competitive criterion, a market potential criterion, a development criterion, an ownership criterion, a patent status criterion, an interested customer criterion, a deal complexity criterion, a time to closing criterion, a competitive advantage criterion, a future deals criterion, a customer relationship criterion, an internal political criterion, and a public relations criterion.