Method of creating electronic prosecution experience for patent applicant

• US 20020161733A1
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: First to File, Inc. (Clarivate Plc)
• Original Assignee: First to File, Inc. (Clarivate Plc)
• Inventors: Grainger, Jeffry J.
• Application Number:
  US09/996,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/184 Intellectual property management

Abstract

A method of managing documents related to a patent application. In one embodiment the method includes generating an invention disclosure from a first client system coupled to a server system over a first communication network, where the first client system is associated with a first technology developer; storing the generated invention disclosure in a database accessible to the server system; drafting a patent application for the invention disclosure from a second client system coupled to the server system over a second communication network, where the second client system is associated with a patent practitioner; storing the drafted patent application in the database; generating an instruction to file the patent application from a client system associated with either the technology developer or the patent practitioner; and receiving the instruction at the server system and causing the patent application to be filed in a patent office.

Claims

1. A method of managing documents related to a patent application, said method comprising:

generating an invention disclosure from a first client system coupled to a server system over a first communication network, wherein said first client system is associated with a first technology developer;

storing said generated invention disclosure in a database accessible to said server system;

drafting a patent application for said invention disclosure from a second client system coupled to said server system over a second communication network, wherein said second client system is associated with a patent practitioner;

storing said drafted patent application in said database;

generating an instruction to file said patent application from a client system associated with either said technology developer or said patent practitioner; and

receiving said instruction at said server system and causing said patent application to be filed in a patent office.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said patent application is filed in said patent office electronically.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said patent application is printed on a printer coupled to said server system and filed in said patent office by mail.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second communication systems are the public Internet.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said patent application is filed with a correspondence mailing address set to an address associated with said server system.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, receiving from said patent office, paper correspondence related to said patent application that is mailed to said server system address, scanning said paper correspondence to create a scanned, electronic copy of said correspondence and storing said scanned, electronic copy of said correspondence in said database.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said scanned, electronic copy of said correspondence is viewable by said first and second client system over the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said invention disclosure is generated by said first client system by responding to questions related to the invention presented to said first client system by said server system via a Web page.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein documents and data associated with said patent application are stored in a Case Data Unit and viewable over the Internet to said first and second client systems as determined by an access management portion of said server system.

10. A method of managing documents related to a plurality of patent applications, said method comprising:

storing a first plurality of electronic documents associated with a first plurality of patent applications assigned to a first technology developer in a database accessible to a server system;

storing a second plurality electronic documents associated with a second plurality of patent applications assigned to a second technology developer in a database accessible to said server system;

assigning access rights to each one of a first plurality of client systems associated with said first technology developer and a second plurality of client system associated with said second technology developer, wherein said access rights allow said first plurality of client systems to perform selected operations on said first plurality of electronic documents and prevent said first plurality of client systems from viewing said second plurality of electronic documents and wherein said access rights allow said second plurality of client systems to perform selected operations on said second plurality of electronic documents and prevent said second plurality of client systems from viewing said first plurality of electronic documents;

storing said assigned access rights in said database;

enforcing said access rights with a document access management system executing on said server system;

allowing selected client systems from said first and second plurality of client systems to create first and second pluralities of invention disclosures, respectively, that are stored in said database as part of said first and second plurality of electronic documents, respectively;

allowing selected client systems from said first plurality of client systems to create a first plurality of patent applications from said first plurality of invention disclosures, allowing selected client systems from said second plurality of client systems to create a second plurality of patent applications from second plurality of invention disclosures;

storing said first and second plurality of patent applications in said database;

allowing selected client systems from said first plurality of client systems to generate a first signal indicating an intent to file one of said first plurality of patent applications in a first patent office and allowing selected clients systems from said second plurality of client systems to generate a second signal indicating an intent to file one of said second plurality of patent applications in a second patent office; and

in response to said first signal, causing said first patent application to be filed in said first patent office and in response to said second signal, causing said second patent application to be filed in said second patent office.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said first patent application is filed electronically in response to receipt of said first signal.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said second patent applications is printed on a printer coupled to said server system and subsequently filed in said second patent office by mail.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said first and second plurality of electronic documents each include scanned versions of papers sent from a patent office.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said first plurality of client systems includes one or more clients systems associated with a first patent practitioner that represents said first technology developer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said second plurality of client systems includes one or more clients systems associated with a second patent practitioner that represents said second technology developer.

17. The server system of claim 16 wherein said first and second plurality of documents each include scanned versions of papers sent from a patent office.

18. The server system of claim 17 wherein said scanned papers include papers selected from the group consisting of:

office actions, filing receipts, signed PTO-1449 forms, stamped postcards, notices of allowance, advisory actions and restriction requirements.

16. A server system for managing intellectual property;

said system comprising;

a processor;

a database having a first plurality of documents associated with a first patent application assigned to a first applicant and a second plurality of documents associated with a second patent application assigned to a second patent applicant different from said first patent applicant;

a computer-readable memory for storing a computer program, wherein said processor is operative with said computer program to;

control access rights to said first and second pluralities of documents by (i) allowing a first client system coupled to said server system over a public network and a second client system coupled to said server system over a public network to access documents in said first plurality of documents while prohibiting said first and second client systems from accessing documents in said second plurality of documents and (ii) allowing a third client system coupled to said server system through a public network and a fourth client system coupled to said server system through a public network to access documents in said second plurality of documents while prohibiting said third and fourth client systems from accessing documents in said first plurality of documents; and

receive a first signal from either said first or second client system to file said first patent application in a patent office and receive a second signal from either said third or fourth client system to file said second patent application in a patent office;

wherein said first client system is associated with said first patent applicant, said second client system is associated with a first law firm that represents said first patent applicant, said third client system is associated with said second patent applicant and said fourth client system is associated with a second law firm that represents said second patent applicant.