Computer-implemented method and system for managing attributes of intellectual property documents, optionally including organization thereof

• US 8,103,709 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eugene M. Lee
• Original Assignee: Eugene M. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Eugene M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M
• Application Number:
  US12/978,011
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 707/923, 707/924, 707/937, 707/934, 707/930, 707/733.748, 705/310, 705/230, 705/59, 715/817, 715/765, 709/219, 709/217, 709/230
• US Class Current: 707/923
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/923 Intellectual property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/93 intellectual property analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/934 Analyzing patent activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/937 intellectual property searching

Abstract

A computer-enabled system, method, and medium is provided to support, e.g., analyzing intellectual property documents by assigning attributes to the documents. The present invention is suitable for use by intellectual property professionals and is flexible to support development and use of customized attribute types and attributes. Optionally, a group of intellectual property documents can be divided into projects, which can be ingested including assigning attributes. Optionally, the attributes can be used to filter information included in e.g., searches, and/or reports.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for invention life cycle tracking, comprising:

a data storage configured to store a plurality of documents, including a first document and a second document; and

a computer processor device, the computer processor device being configured with;

an invention disclosure module, that interacts with a user to tag the first document with an attribute indicating an invention, the invention being one of a plurality of inventions, when the first document is stored in the data storage and is not previously filed in an official intellectual property office; and

a document creation module which creates the second document, that;

automatically without manual intervention prompts the user to select one of the inventions previously tagged to one of the plurality of documents, as the invention to which the second document is directed, when the second document is initially created, and

tags the second document with the attribute indicating the invention, when the second document is initially stored in the data storage, wherein

the first and second documents collectively reflect progress in the invention life cycle,

the attribute is in a predetermined hierarchy of a plurality of attributes,

tagging one of the documents which had not previously been tagged, with the attribute causes the one of the documents to be associated with the attribute and with parent attributes of the attribute according to the predetermined hierarchy, for later retrieval of the documents by searching for the invention and the parent attributes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second document is one of a draft patent application, a white paper, a patent application, a patent, and a license;

thereby to track the invention over the invention life cycle including at least two of the draft patent application, the white paper, the patent application, the patent, and the license.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first document and the second document are two of:

an invention disclosure document, a patent application, and a patent, thereby to track the invention over the invention life cycle including the invention disclosure document, the patent application, and the patent.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer processor device is configured with a search module that inputs a product name as invention search criteria, searches a plurality of documents including the first document and the second document, and returns search results listing the first document and the second document tagged as being directed to the invention with the product name when the product name is input as search criteria.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the documents returned in the search results are sorted by chronological order to reflect progress of the invention during the invention life cycle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein plural patent applications are tagged as belonging to one of the plurality of inventions.

7. A method for invention life cycle tracking, comprising:

providing a data storage configured to store a plurality of documents, including a first document and a second document;

interacting with a user, from an invention disclosure module in a computer processor device, to tag the first document with an attribute indicating an invention, the invention being one of a plurality of inventions, when the first document is stored in the data storage and is not previously filed in an official intellectual property office;

prompting the user, from a document creation module in the computer processor device, automatically without manual intervention, to select one of the plurality of inventions previously tagged to one of the plurality of documents, as the invention to which the second document is directed, when the second document is initially created; and

tagging the second document with the attribute indicating the invention, when the second document is initially stored in the data storage, wherein

the first and second documents collectively reflect progress in the invention life cycle,

the attribute is in a predetermined hierarchy of a plurality of attributes,

tagging one of the documents, which had not previously been tagged, with the attribute causes the one of the documents to be associated with the attribute and with parent attributes of the attribute according to the predetermined hierarchy, for later retrieval of the documents by searching for the invention and the parent attributes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second document is one of:

a draft patent application, a white paper, a patent application, a patent, and a license;

thereby to track the invention over the invention life cycle including at least two of the draft patent application, the white paper, the patent application, the patent, and the license.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first document and the second document are two of:

an invention disclosure document, a patent application, and a patent, thereby to track the invention over the invention life cycle including the invention disclosure document, the patent application, and the patent.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising, in the computer processor device, inputting a product name in a search module as invention search criteria, searching a plurality of documents including the first document and the second document, and returning search results listing the first document and the second document tagged as being directed to the invention with the product name when the product name is input as search criteria.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising sorting the documents returned in the search results by chronological order to reflect progress of the invention during the invention life cycle.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein plural patent applications are tagged as belonging to one of the plurality of inventions.

13. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium with a method for invention life cycle tracking, the program comprising computer-executable steps for:

providing a data storage configured to store a plurality of documents, including a first document and a second document;

interacting with a user, from an invention disclosure module in a computer processor device, to tag the first document with an attribute indicating an invention, the invention being one of a plurality of inventions, when the first document is stored in the data storage and is not previously filed in an official intellectual property office;

prompting the user, from a document creation module in the computer processor device, automatically without manual intervention, to select one of the plurality of inventions previously tagged to one of the plurality of documents, as the invention to which the second document is directed, when the second document is initially created; and

tagging the second document with the attribute indicating the invention, when the second document is initially stored in the data storage, wherein

the first and second documents collectively reflect progress in the invention life cycle,

the attribute is in a predetermined hierarchy of a plurality of attributes,

tagging one of the documents, which had not previously been tagged, with the attribute causes the one of the documents to be associated with the attribute and with parent attributes of the attribute according to the predetermined hierarchy, for later retrieval of the documents by searching for the invention and the parent attributes.

14. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the second document is one of:

a draft patent application, a white paper, a patent application, a patent, and a license;

thereby to track the invention over the invention life cycle including at least two of the draft patent application, the white paper, the patent application, the patent, and the license.

15. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the first document and the second document are two of:

an invention disclosure document, a patent application, and a patent, thereby to track the invention over the invention life cycle including the invention disclosure document, the patent application, and the patent.

16. The computer program of claim 13, further comprising, in the computer processor device, inputting a product name in a search module as invention search criteria, searching a plurality of documents including the initial document and the further document, and returning search results listing the first document and the second document tagged as being directed to the invention with the product name when the product name is input as search criteria.

17. The computer program of claim 13, further comprising sorting the documents returned in the search results by chronological order to reflect progress of the invention during the invention life cycle.

18. The computer program of claim 13, wherein plural patent applications are tagged as belonging to one of the plurality of products.