Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for analyzing patents and prior art in a patent management system. In an example embodiment, a computer-implemented method of determining a potential point of novelty for an identified patent comprises retrieving at least one independent claim of the patent in the claim form as issued; retrieving at least one independent claim of the patent in the claim form as published; and automatically comparing the issued claim to the published claim by identifying unique keywords present in the issued claim but not present in the published claim and flagging the unique keywords to a user.

Abstract: The present inventive subject matter relates to document management, more particularly to a system and method for information disclosure statement management and prior art cross-citation control. Various embodiments of the present inventive subject matter include systems and methods for controlling the cross-citation and propagation of prior art reference documents from one patent case to another. Some embodiments may include propagation control user interfaces which display to a user sets of patent cases as potential target cases for prior art. In some embodiments, characteristics of the prior art may be identified and used as the basis for selecting and controlling the cross-citation of prior art.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and system for patent mapping comprises maintaining a database of patent portfolios and a database of patents, each patent stored in the database of patents associated with one or more patent portfolios stored in the database of patent portfolios; receiving a search query associated with a first patent portfolio; searching the first portfolio as a function of the search query; generating search results, the search results including one or more patent claims associated with the search query; mapping the one or more patent claims to a patent concept; highlighting any claim terms associated with the patent scope across a number of claims; storing the associations; and displaying the highlighted claim terms to a user when subsequently displaying the one or more mapped patent claims.

Abstract: A user-interface system is provided for a patent management system having access to at least one patent matter database and at least one reference database. The user interface system comprises a first user interface element allowing selection of data stored in the at least one patent matter database, a second user interface element allowing selection of data stored in the at least one reference database, a third user interface element for linking at least one reference stored in the at least one reference database with at least one patent in the patent matter database, a fourth user interface element allowing the selection for storage of further references into the at least one reference database, and a fifth user interface element allowing analysis of at least one of the linked references.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatically proofing the patent specification of a granted patent issued on a patent application. The method comprises the steps of scanning amendments made to the patent application during prosecution; assembling the most recent claims, based on the scanned amendments, to create a test claim set of the claims; comparing the test claim set to the claims of the issued patent as published; and identifying any differences between the compared sets of claims and communicating the differences to a user.

Abstract: A method and system for generating patent prosecution analytics is provided. The method includes scraping data from an external patent database with the data containing information about office action activity and responses thereto for at least one patent matter stored in the database; analyzing the office action activity and responses thereto to identify at least instances in which a response has resulted in allowance of at least one claim in the at least one patent matter, or at least instances in which a response has not resulted in allowance of a claim in the at least one patent matter; identifying at least one Examiner or attorney associated with the instances of allowance or non-allowance; and creating a prosecution profile for the Examiner or attorney based on the identified instances of allowance or non-allowance.

Abstract: A method of patent mapping comprises maintaining a database of patent portfolios and a database of patents, each patent stored in the database of patents associated with one or more of the patent portfolios; receiving a search query associated with a first patent portfolio; searching the first portfolio as a function of the search query; generating search results, the search results including one or more patent claims associated with the search query; generating a claim similarity index for at least one patent claim or portion thereof included in the search results, based on its similarity to at least one other patent claim or portion thereof in the search results; identifying, based on the similarity index, one or more patent claims included in the search results as primary targets to map a patent scope to; and mapping the one or more patent claims to the patent concept.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for managing patent annuity fee payments. One method comprises using one or more processors to provide a registry of patent matters comprising, at least, a listing of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable. The method further includes registering customers of the registry as registered users of the registry, and allowing at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry listing for payment of patent annuity fees. In one embodiment, a direct annuity payment conduit between a national patent office and at least one registered user of the registry is provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods of making or managing annuity payments. In one example embodiment, a method comprises tracking one or more patent annuity payments due on at least one patent for a user and docketing a due date for at least one of the annuity payments. In advance of the due date, the method includes identifying the cost of a forward contract to obtain or purchase currency equal to a total amount payable of the at least one annuity payment and providing the cost of the forward contract to the user.

Abstract: A system and computer implemented method are provided. The method comprises maintaining a database of patent portfolios and a database of patents, with each patent stored in the database of patents being associated with one or more patent portfolios stored in the database of patent portfolios. The method includes receiving a search query associated with a first patent portfolio; searching the first portfolio as a function of the search query; generating a seed set of search results including one or more patent claims associated with the search query, the patent claims including terms from the search query; automatically generating an expanded set of search results including one or more patent claims further associated with the search query or associated with the patent claims in the seed set of search results; and mapping the one or more patent claims to a patent concept.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for rating a patent continuation case by comparing the patent continuation case with a priority or parent patent case of the patent continuation case. Comparison elements are used in an embodiment with automatic comparison.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for profiling patent activity for a user. The patent activity may be competitive patent activity. The method comprises retrieving a first set of data from a database or patent registry relating to one or more patent matters in the name of a user-specified applicant, owner, or owner type and generating a first patent activity profile for the applicant, owner or owner type based on the retrieved data. The first patent activity profile is stored in a database as a reference profile. The method includes retrieving a second set of data from a database or patent registry relating to the one or more patent matters in the name of the specified applicant, owner, or owner type and comparing the first and second sets of data to identify deviations from the reference profile. The identified deviations are transmitted to the user.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for reviewing and mapping prior art. The method comprises using one or more processors to identify a first set of cited references cited against a target entity and identify at least a second set of cited references cited against at least one other entity. The first set of references are mapped against the at least second set of references to determine a prior art overlap of references common to both or all sets. A representation of the prior art overlap is communicated to a user. The method may include identifying the owners of the first and at least second sets of cited references.

Abstract: A method and system for managing patent matters are provided. The method comprises scraping patent data from an external patent database, the data including event dates of at least one patent matter. The method includes providing a docket engine for docketing the scraped event dates and, based on the scraped dates, calculating response due dates for the at least one patent matter; downloading at least one document from the external patent database; and associating at least one response due date with the at least one downloaded document.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for managing patent annuity fee payments. One method comprises using one or more processors to provide a registry of patent matters comprising, at least, a listing of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable. The method further includes registering customers of the registry as registered users of the registry, and allowing at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry listing for payment of patent annuity fees. In one embodiment, a registry portal allows an external annuity payment service provider to communicate electronically with the registry and tag patent matters on behalf of its clients.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods of assigning internal and external ratings to a subject patent owned by a subject entity. In one example embodiment, the method comprises assigning an internal rating to the subject patent based on one or more selected internal factors relating to the subject entity; and assigning an external rating to the subject patent based on one or more selected external factors relating to one or more third parties external to the subject entity.

Abstract: A system and computer implemented method of patent mapping is provided. The method comprises maintaining a database of patent portfolios and a database of patents, each patent stored in the database of patents associated with one or more patent portfolios stored in the database of patent portfolios; receiving a search query associated with a first patent portfolio; searching the first portfolio as a function of the search query; generating search results, the search results including one or more independent patent claims associated with the search query; mapping the one or more independent patent claims to at least one patent concept; and associating the at least one mapped patent concept to one or more patent claims which are dependent on the one or more independent patent claims.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods of rating the importance of a patent in a patent portfolio by automatically determining the degree of similarity of the patent specification and/or patent claims to the content of web pages or online product literature of a third party.

Abstract: System and method permit patent mapping. A method may comprise maintaining a database of patent portfolios and a database of patents with each patent stored in the database of patents associated with one or more patent portfolios stored in the database of patent portfolios. A target subject matter to be mapped is identified and a search query associated with the target subject matter is received. Search results are generated to define a first patent portfolio in the database with the search results including one or more patent claims associated with the search query. The one or more patent claims are mapped to a patent concept.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and apparatus for finding web hits for a patent of interest. In an example method embodiment, data identifying a patent of interest is received, and at least one forward or reverse citation of the patent of interest is identified. An inventor or an owner of the at least one forward or reverse citation is identified, and a website associated with the identified inventor or owner is monitored. A watch notice is generated in response to a detection of the addition of new material to the monitored website.