System and method to facilitate and support electronic communication of ideas
First Claim
1. A method for using a computer to facilitate and control access to a two-level information database, implemented on a data storage device, created by inputs supplied by posting originators, comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving and storing in the database a plurality of two-part descriptions each supplied by an originator, each two-part description including a first-level element in the form of a basic description of each originator'"'"'s idea and an associated second-level element in the form of a detailed description of each originator'"'"'s idea;
(b) only after the first- and second-level elements are stored, permitting users to access and select only the first-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions;
(c) providing selecting users with an option to access the second-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions that correspond to the selected first-level elements by agreeing to a license agreement specifying the terms of use for at least the second-level element; and
(d) providing license accepting users with access to the second-level elements of the stored two-part description corresponding to the selected first-level elements,wherein the license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license, and including the further step of upon receiving license acceptance by one selecting user, subsequently disallowing all other users from accessing, including visually accessing, both the first-level element and the second-level element of the two-part descriptions for the duration of the license term.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus effectuates bilateral commerce in ideas. An originator and user-driven on-line commercial network system is designed to facilitate idea submission, purchase, and licensing, and is easily adapted to business-to-business transfers of innovation as well as consumer-to-business transfers of innovation. The invention allows originators of ideas to communicate nondisclosing synopses of ideas globally to potential users, for users conveniently to search for relevant ideas and for users potentially to bind an originator to a limited duration license granting user the exclusive right to access and consider confidentially the originator'"'"'s fully disclosed idea. The invention also allows users to communicate confidentially or nonconfidentially unsolved problems or needs globally to potential originators, for originators conveniently to search for relevant unsolved problems or needs, and for originators to submit and communicate confidentially proposed solutions to the soliciting user.
59 Citations
47 Claims
-
1. A method for using a computer to facilitate and control access to a two-level information database, implemented on a data storage device, created by inputs supplied by posting originators, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving and storing in the database a plurality of two-part descriptions each supplied by an originator, each two-part description including a first-level element in the form of a basic description of each originator'"'"'s idea and an associated second-level element in the form of a detailed description of each originator'"'"'s idea; (b) only after the first- and second-level elements are stored, permitting users to access and select only the first-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions; (c) providing selecting users with an option to access the second-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions that correspond to the selected first-level elements by agreeing to a license agreement specifying the terms of use for at least the second-level element; and (d) providing license accepting users with access to the second-level elements of the stored two-part description corresponding to the selected first-level elements, wherein the license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license, and including the further step of upon receiving license acceptance by one selecting user, subsequently disallowing all other users from accessing, including visually accessing, both the first-level element and the second-level element of the two-part descriptions for the duration of the license term. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for using a computer to facilitate and control access to a two-level information database, implemented on a data storage device, created by inputs supplied by posting originators, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving and storing in the database a plurality of two-part descriptions each supplied by an originator, each two-part description including a first-level element in the form of a basic description of each originator'"'"'s idea and an associated second-level element in the form of a detailed description of each originator'"'"'s idea; (b) only after the first- and second-level elements are stored, permitting users to access and select only the first-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions; (c) providing selecting users with an option to access the second-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions that correspond to the selected first-level elements by agreeing to a license agreement specifying the terms of use for at least the second-level element; and (d) providing license accepting users with access to the second-level elements of the stored two-part description corresponding to the selected first-level elements, wherein the license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license, and including the further step of upon receiving license acceptance by one selecting user, subsequently restricting other users from visually accessing the second-level element but permitting the other users to continue to access and select the first-level element for the duration of the license term. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for causing a computer to facilitate and control access to a two-level information database, implemented on a data storage device, created by inputs supplied by posting originators, the computer program product comprising:
-
code for receiving and storing in the database a plurality of two-part descriptions each supplied by an originator, each two-part description including a first-level element in the form of a basic description of each originator'"'"'s idea and an associated second-level element in the form of a detailed description of each originator'"'"'s idea; code for permitting users to access and select only the first-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions, only after the first- and second-level elements are stored; code for providing selecting users with an option to access the second-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions that correspond to the selected first-level elements by agreeing to a license agreement specifying the terms of use for at least the second-level element; and code for providing license accepting users with access to the second-level elements of the stored two-part description corresponding to the selected first-level elements, wherein the license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license, and including the further step of upon receiving license acceptance by one selecting user, subsequently disallowing all other users from accessing, including visually accessing, both the first-level element and the second-level element of the two-part descriptions for the duration of the license term. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
-
-
42. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for causing a computer to facilitate and control access to a two-level information database, implemented on a data storage device, created by inputs supplied by posting originators, the computer program product comprising:
-
code for receiving and storing in the database a plurality of two-part descriptions each supplied by an originator, each two-part description including a first-level element in the form of a basic description of each originator'"'"'s idea and an associated second-level element in the form of a detailed description of each originator'"'"'s idea; code for permitting users to access and select only the first-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions, only after the first- and second-level elements are stored; code for providing selecting users with an option to access the second-level elements of the stored two-part descriptions that correspond to the selected first-level elements by agreeing to a license agreement specifying the terms of use for at least the second-level element; and
code for providing license accepting users with access to the second-level elements of the stored two-part description corresponding to the selected first-level elements,wherein the license agreement is a limited duration, exclusive license, and including the further step of upon receiving license acceptance by one selecting user, subsequently restricting other users from visually accessing the second-level element but permitting the other users to continue to access and select the first-level element for the duration of the license term. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
Specification