System and method for developing and implementing intellectual property marketing

• US 8,090,664 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frank, Scott M., Beckham, Carol T., McLendon, Martin L., Short, Shannon M., Bishop, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/633,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/310
• 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 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for the development and implementation of intellectual property marketing. A targeted innovation to fulfill an internal need is developed. Actions are taken to legally protect the targeted innovation as an intellectual property asset. The intellectual property asset is analyzed to determine a marketing assessment. A decision is made whether to market the intellectual property asset based at least in part on the marketing assessment. If the marketing assessment meets a predetermined threshold, the intellectual property asset is marketed.

Claims

1. A method for managing internally targeted innovations, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer having a processor and a memory, innovation information regarding a plurality of identified internally targeted innovations, wherein each identified internally targeted innovation of the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations is targeted for utilization by a customer internal to an organization, each of the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations developed to fulfill an internal need for the customer internal to the organization;

receiving, by the computer, intellectual property asset protection data regarding intellectual property rights protecting the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations; and

determining, by the computer, whether to market intellectual property licensing rights for an identified internally targeted innovation associated with the intellectual property asset protection data based on customer utilization in a market external to the organization, wherein the intellectual property rights are acquired prior to determining whether to market the intellectual property licensing rights.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computer, the innovation information comprises receiving, by the computer, an innovation disclosure from an innovator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the computer, whether to market the intellectual property rights for the identified internally targeted innovation is based on an absolute marketing assessment with a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the computer, whether to market the intellectual property rights for the identified internally targeted innovation is based on a relative marketing assessment that is independent of any predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer, intellectual property asset marketing assessment information based least in part on the intellectual property asset protection data associated with the identified internally targeted innovation targeted for utilization by the customer internal to the organization.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving, through a graphical user interface provided by the computer, the intellectual property asset marketing assessment information from a user, and wherein the intellectual property asset marketing assessment information is based at least in part upon user analysis of the intellectual property asset protection data associated with the identified internally targeted innovation targeted for utilization by the customer internal to the organization.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least:

receive innovation information regarding a plurality of identified internally targeted innovations, wherein each identified internally targeted innovation of the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations is targeted for utilization by a customer internal to an organization, each of the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations developed to fulfill an internal need for the customer internal to the organization;

receive intellectual property asset protection data regarding intellectual property rights protecting the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations; and

determine whether to market intellectual property licensing rights for an identified internally targeted innovation associated with the intellectual property asset protection data based on customer utilization in a market external to the organization, wherein the intellectual property rights are acquired prior to the determination of whether to market the intellectual property licensing rights.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein to receive the innovation information, the computer-executable instructions cause the computer to at least receive an innovation disclosure from an innovator.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein whether to market the intellectual property rights for the identified internally targeted innovation is determined based on an absolute marketing assessment with a predetermined threshold.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein whether to market the intellectual property rights for the identified internally targeted innovation is determined based on a relative marketing assessment that is independent of any predetermined threshold.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to at least receive intellectual property asset marketing assessment information based at least in part on the intellectual property asset protection data associated with the identified internally targeted innovation targeted for utilization by the customer internal to the organization.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to at least receive, through a graphical user interface, the intellectual property asset marketing assessment information from a user, and wherein the intellectual property asset marketing assessment information is based at least in part upon user analysis of the intellectual property asset protection data associated with the identified internally targeted innovation targeted for utilization by the customer internal to the organization.

13. A system for managing internally targeted innovations, the system comprising:

logic receiving innovation information regarding a plurality of identified internally targeted innovations, wherein each identified internally targeted innovation of the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations is targeted for utilization by a customer internal to an organization, each of the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations developed to fulfill an internal need for the customer internal to the organization;

logic receiving intellectual property asset protection data regarding intellectual property rights protecting the plurality of identified internally targeted innovations; and

logic determining whether to market intellectual property licensing rights for an identified internally targeted innovation associated with the intellectual property asset protection data based on customer utilization in a market external to the organization, wherein the intellectual property rights are acquired prior to determining whether to market the intellectual property licensing rights.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein receiving innovation information includes receiving an innovation disclosure from an innovator.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the determining whether to market the intellectual property rights for the identified internally targeted innovation is based on an absolute marketing assessment with a predetermined threshold.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the determining whether to market the intellectual property rights for the identified internally targeted innovation is based on a relative marketing assessment that is independent of any predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 13, further including receiving intellectual property asset marketing assessment information based at least in part on the intellectual property asset protection data associated with the identified internally targeted innovation targeted for utilization by the customer internal to the organization.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the intellectual property asset marketing assessment information is received through a graphical user interface from a user, and wherein the intellectual property asset marketing assessment information is based at least in part upon user analysis of the intellectual property asset protection data associated with the identified internally targeted innovation targeted for utilization by the customer internal to the organization.