System and method for enabling IP marketplace APIs

• US 8,868,767 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Thomas, Tracey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/194,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• 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 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/205 Education administration or guidance

Abstract

A comprehensive platform for merchandising intellectual property (IP) and conducting IP transactions is disclosed. A standardized data collection method enables IP assets to be characterized, rated and valuated in a consistent manner. Project management, workflow and data security functionality enable consistent, efficient and secure interactions between the IP Marketplace participants throughout the IP transaction process. Business rules, workflows, valuation models and rating methods may be user defined or based upon marketplace, industry or technology standards.

Claims

1. An intellectual property (IP) marketplace system, comprising:

an IP marketplace processor,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the processor and via a channel registration API, a first channel registration request from an owner of an IP asset, wherein the channel registration API is from a plurality of APIs;

parsing, by the processor, the first channel registration request into a plurality of first channel parameters;

receiving, by the processor and from a first approver, an approval of the channel registration request;

saving, by the processor and to the memory, a first channel comprising the first channel parameters, wherein the first channel is one of a plurality of channels available via the IP marketplace system, wherein the first channel is configured by the owner to provide the owner access to a third-party service;

presenting, by the processor, the plurality of channels including the first channel in a channel guide;

tracking, by the processor, a first channel statistic associated with the first channel; and

generating, by the processor and based on the first channel statistic, an invoice comprising a commission for prioritizing the first channel in the channel guide.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising validating, by the processor, at least one of the channel registration request or the first channel parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel comprises a plurality of tools comprising at least one of an IP asset distribution channel, a product distribution channel, an IP asset marketing channel or an IP analysis tool.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of APIs comprises at least one of a channel configuration API, a channel output API, a channel promotion API, or a channel negotiation API.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the processor and via a channel registration API, first channel configuration parameters.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising configuring, by the processor, a channel interface based upon the first channel configuration parameters.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first channel configuration parameters comprise at least one of a capability description, a channel type, a target audience, an IP asset type, an industry, an internet address, a software module, a description of channel input parameter, a channel interface description, a price schedule, a presentation font, a presentation color, a logo or a graphic.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the configuring the channel interface comprises dynamically rendering the channel interface based at least partially upon the first channel configuration parameters.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the configuring the channel interface comprises configuring a plurality of channels each based upon respective channel configuration parameters.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the configuring the channel interface comprises grouping a plurality of channels based upon a category of a plurality of categories.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of categories comprises at least one of services, third party channels, tools or buyers.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the processor, input from the user indicating a selection of the first channel, and in response to the selection, initiating the first channel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the initiating the first channel comprises obtaining interface data based upon at least one of the first channel, the user, an IP asset portfolio or an owner associated with the IP asset portfolio.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein initiating the first channel comprises executing a channel interface API, wherein the channel interface API is one of the plurality of APIs.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising receiving, by the processor and via a channel output API, first output data associated with the first channel.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising, sending, by the processor, a notification to the user based upon the first output data.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the processor, a request to negotiate via a channel negotiation API.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the request to negotiate comprises a request to alter a price associated with the channel.

19. A computer-based method comprising:

receiving, by an intellectual property (IP) marketplace computer-based system and via a channel registration API, a first channel registration request from an owner of an IP asset, wherein the channel registration API is from a plurality of APIs;

parsing, by the computer-based system, the first channel registration request into a plurality of first channel parameters;

receiving, by the computer-based system and from a first approver, an approval of the channel registration request;

saving, by the computer-based system, a first channel comprising the first channel parameters, wherein the first channel is one of a plurality of channels available via the IP marketplace system, wherein the first channel is configured by the owner to provide the owner access to a third-party service;

presenting, by the computer-based system, the plurality of channels including the first channel in a channel guide;

tracking, by the comnputer-based system, a first channel statistic associated with the first channel; and

generating, by the computer-based system and based on the first channel statistic, an invoice comprising a commission for prioritizing the first channel in the channel guide.

20. An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by an IP marketplace computer-based system, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the computer-based system and via a channel registration API, a first channel registration request from an owner of an IP asset, wherein the channel registration API is from a plurality of APIs;

parsing, by the computer-based system, the first channel registration request into a plurality of first channel parameters;

receiving, by the computer-based system and from a first approver, an approval of the channel registration request;

saving, by the computer-based system, a first channel comprising the first channel parameters, wherein the first channel is one of a plurality of channels available via the IP marketplace system, wherein the first channel is configured by the owner to provide the owner access to a third-party service;

presenting, by the computer-based system, the plurality of channels including the first channel in a channel guide;

tracking, by the computer-based system, a first channel statistic associated with the first channel; and

generating, by the computer-based system and based on the first channel statistic, an invoice comprising a commission for prioritizing the first channel in the channel guide.