System and method for determining the marketability of intellectual property assets

• US 7,840,498 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (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:
  US12/013,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/310
• 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 generating an intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score, 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 of the plurality of intellectual property rights assets is defined and maintained as an asset by the existence of legally-enforceable intellectual property protection rights pertaining to the plurality of intellectual property rights assets;

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;

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

generating, utilizing a computer system of the intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system, the intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset, including determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one of the intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset.

2. 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.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising developing a marketing recommendation based at least in part on the marketing opportunity assessment, the marketing recommendation being a relative recommendation based at least in part on a comparison of the marketing opportunity assessment with at least one assessment of the marketability of other intellectual property rights assets of the plurality of intellectual property rights assets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score is generated for prioritizing marketing opportunities among the plurality of intellectual property rights assets.

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

determining an intangible value assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records 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 of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset is further based at least in part on the intangible value assessment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating, utilizing a computer system of the intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system, the intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset further comprises determining a market potential assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating, utilizing a computer system of the intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system, the intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset further comprises determining a marketing project timeframe assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset, and

wherein determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset is based at least in part on the market potential assessment and the marketing project timeframe assessment.

8. A system for generating an intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score, the system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

receive 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 of the plurality of intellectual property rights assets is defined and maintained as an asset by the existence of legally-enforceable intellectual property protection rights pertaining to the plurality of intellectual property rights assets,

store 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,

provide the intellectual property rights asset protection data from at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records in the intellectual property rights asset protection database for an intellectual property rights asset of the plurality of intellectual property rights assets to an intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system, and

generate the intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset, including determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one of the intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the memory stores further computer executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed when the marketing opportunity assessment satisfies a predetermined threshold.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the memory stores further computer executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to develop a marketing recommendation based at least in part on the marketing opportunity assessment, the marketing recommendation being a relative recommendation based at least in part on a comparison of the marketing opportunity assessment with at least one assessment of the marketability of other intellectual property rights assets of the plurality of intellectual property rights assets.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score is generated for prioritizing marketing opportunities among the plurality of intellectual property rights assets.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the memory stores further computer executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

determine an intangible value assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records 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 of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset is further based at least in part on the intangible value assessment.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein generating the intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset further comprises determining a market potential assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein generating the intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset further comprises determining a marketing project timeframe assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset, and

wherein determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset is based at least in part on the determined market potential assessment and the marketing project timeframe assessment.

15. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program for use in a computer for generating an intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score which, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to:

receive 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 of the plurality of intellectual property rights assets is defined and maintained as an asset by the existence of legally-enforceable intellectual property protection rights pertaining to the plurality of intellectual property rights assets,

store 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,

provide the intellectual property rights asset protection data from at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records in the intellectual property rights asset protection database for an intellectual property rights asset of the plurality of intellectual property rights assets to an intellectual property marketing opportunity scoring system, and

generate the intellectual property rights marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset, including determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one of the intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the program further causes the computer to determine that the intellectual property rights asset is to be marketed when the marketing opportunity assessment satisfies a predetermined threshold.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the program further causes the computer to develop a marketing recommendation based at least in part on the determined marketing opportunity assessment, the marketing recommendation being a relative recommendation based at least in part on a comparison of the marketing opportunity assessment with at least one of the plurality of marketing opportunity assessments of the marketability of other intellectual property rights assets.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the marketing opportunity score is generated for prioritizing marketing opportunities among the plurality of intellectual property rights assets.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the program further causes the computer to:

determine an intangible value assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records 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 of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset is further based at least in part on the intangible value assessment.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein generating an intellectual property marketing opportunity score for the intellectual property rights asset further comprises:

determining a market potential assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset; and

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

wherein determining a marketing opportunity assessment corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of intellectual property rights asset protection data records from the intellectual property rights asset protection database for the intellectual property rights asset is based at least in part on the market potential assessment and the marketing project timeframe assessment.