BE1024477B1 - Method, system and computer program product for reporting a legal act concerning a patent application or a patent - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method, a system and a computer program product for reporting a legal act concerning a patent application or a patent. A notification comprising an identification code is sent to the user device. A search term is sent from a user device to a first database comprising legal acts. Information about the legal act is sent from the first database to the user's device. An electronic summary of the information is made on the user device. An e-mail address corresponding to the identification code is looked up in a second database with the aid of the user device. The electronic summary is sent to the e-mail address using the user device.

Description

Priority date:

International classification: G06Q 50/18 Application number: BE2017 / 5259

Date of submission: 13/04/2017

Holder:

ANDPATENTS BVBA 9000, GHENT Belgium

Inventor:

BRANTS Johan Philippe Emile

9000 GHENT

Belgium

Method, system and computer program product for reporting a legal act relating to a patent application or a patent

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method, a system and a computer program product for reporting a legal act relating to a patent application or a patent. A notification containing an identification code is sent to the user device. A search term is sent from a user device to a first database comprising legal acts. Information about the legal act is sent from the first database to the user device. An electronic summary of the information is made on the user device. An email address corresponding to the identification code is searched for in a second database using the user device. The electronic summary is sent to the e-mail address using the user device.

BELGIAN INVENTION PATENT

FPS Economy, K.M.O., Self-employed & Energy

Intellectual Property Office

Publication number: 1024477 Filing number: BE2017 / 5259

International classification: G06Q 50/18 Date of issue: 01/03/2018

The Minister of Economy,

Having regard to the Paris Convention of 20 March 1883 for the Protection of Industrial Property;

Having regard to the Law of March 28, 1984 on inventive patents, Article 22, for patent applications filed before September 22, 2014;

Having regard to Title 1 Invention Patents of Book XI of the Economic Law Code, Article XI.24, for patent applications filed from September 22, 2014;

Having regard to the Royal Decree of 2 December 1986 on the filing, granting and maintenance of inventive patents, Article 28;

Having regard to the application for an invention patent received by the Intellectual Property Office on 13/04/2017.

Whereas for patent applications that fall within the scope of Title 1, Book XI, of the Code of Economic Law (hereinafter WER), in accordance with Article XI.19, § 4, second paragraph, of the WER, the granted patent will be limited. to the patent claims for which the novelty search report was prepared, when the patent application is the subject of a novelty search report alleging a lack of unity of invention as referred to in paragraph 1, and when the applicant does not limit his filing and does not file a divisional application in accordance with the search report.

Decision:

Article 1

ANDPATENTS BVBA, Edward Pynaertkaai 88 box A, 9000 GHENT Belgium;

represented by

BRANTS Johan Philippe Emile, Pauline Van Pottelsberghelaan 24, 9051, GHENT;

a Belgian invention patent with a duration of 20 years, subject to payment of the annual fees as referred to in Article XI.48, § 1 of the Economic Law Code, for: Method, system and computer program product for reporting a legal act concerning a patent application or a patent.

INVENTOR (S):

BRANTS Johan Philippe Emile, Edward Pynaertkaai 88 box A, 9000, GHENT;

PRIORITY:

BREAKDOWN:

Split from basic application: Filing date of the basic application:

Article 2. - This patent is granted without prior investigation into the patentability of the invention, without warranty of the Merit of the invention, nor of the accuracy of its description and at the risk of the applicant (s).

Brussels, 01/03/2018,

With special authorization:

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METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM RODDCT FOR REPORTING A LEGAL ACT OF A

PATENT APPLICATION OE A PATENT

TECHNICAL DOMAIN

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method, a system and a computer program product for reporting a legal transaction relating to a patent application or a patent. A notification containing an identification code is sent to the user equipment. A search term is sent from a user tool to a first database comprising transactions, information about the right operation becomes. sent from the first database to the user device. Ö on the user appliance. made an electronic summary of the information. An email address corresponding to. the identification code is searched for in a second database using the user equipment. The electronic summary is sent to the e-mail address using the user tool.

STATE OF THE ART

Patent applications and patents are intangible assets in intellectual property law that grant the applicant or owner a right. Therefore, it may be of concern to a company to monitor the status of patent applications and patents of competitors in similar industrial branches. This status may concern the investigation report, the agency actions, the payment of annual fees and the legal status of patent applications. This status may also cover the legal status of patents, and more specifically the payment of annual fees, oppositions, registered appeals and litigation in national courts. In addition, a patent application for an spanning region, such as the countries under the

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), Läitsplits in a national phase in applications with varying scope of protection for the specific countries. Checking and reporting patent portfolios is therefore a time and labor intensive task.

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) offers a means of receiving notifications when a new patent application is published in a predetermined area of interest. The USPTO also offers a means to deliver relevant prior art documents to a published patent application. USPTO. The USPTO also offers a system for the

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BE2017 / 5259 to check the status of a patent application, including the transaction history, under the name Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR),

The European Patent Office (EPO) offers a means to receive notifications when a procedural step for a patent application or patent has taken place, under the name Register Alert. Up to 1000 patent applications or patents can be monitored under one account. A notification for a patent application or patent can be sent to the specified email address of the account and at the same time to four other recipient email addresses. The EPO also offers a search function based on search terms for retrieving publications. By regularly performing a search based on these search terms, a user can then monitor the latest publications.

Darts IP maintains a database of jurisprudences concerning brand names, domain names, patents and designs. The status of patents in a patent family (eg, in different countries) or a patent portfolio of a company can be searched. Legal actions after granting, such as oppositions, appeals, litigation and infringement, can be searched as well as the legal status of a patent,

A notification regarding a specific search term (company name, patent number) can be enabled so that an e-mail notification is sent when new additions corresponding to the specific search term.

However, none of the above tools provide for obtaining an interpreted summary of a status change and reporting this summary to a third party via email.

The present invention aims to find a solution for at least some of the above mentioned problems,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-inspired method for reporting a legal act relating to a patent application or patent, according to claim 1,

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a system for reporting a legal act relating to a patent application or a patent, according to claim 14,

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In a third aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program product for reporting a legal act relating to a patent application or a patent, including condusion 15.

The present invention is advantageous in that it provides for summarizing the legal act information regarding the patent application / patent as well as sending an electronic summary to a customer's email address.

The invention is an improvement in comparison with the prior art, since an electronic summary and not the unprocessed information itself can be sent to the customer. It is possible to provide the client with a more nuanced image of the legal act, as well as to propose the following procedural actions. The formal aspects of the patent application or patent are also usually unknown to the customer, who may provide a troubled or panicky response by providing only the unprocessed information. In addition, the unprocessed information may include a multitude of facts that are irrelevant to the customer, which also prevent a clear overview of the legal act.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method, a system and a computer program product for reporting a legal act relating to a patent application or a patent. A summary of the invention has been provided in the appropriate section. In what follows, the invention is described in detail, preferred embodiments are explained and examples are prepared for illustration.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in the description of the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art of the invention.

For a better assessment of the description of the invention, the suffix terms are explained explicitly.

One, de and the in this document refer to both the singular and the plural unless the context clearly assumes otherwise. For example, a segment means one or more than a segment.

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The terms include ,, comprising, consisting of, comprising, containing, containing, containing, controlling, controlling, “contents, containing are synonyms and are inclusive or open terms which indicate the presence of what follows, and which do not exclude the presence or inhibiting other components, features, elements, members, steps, known from or described in the prior art.

The terms user device, computer and computer system in this document refer to devices comprising a processor and suitable for executing instructions on the processor. A non-exhaustive list of examples of such devices includes a desktop, a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, a server, a supercomputer, a calculator, a music player, a smartwatch and a phone,

The term input device in this document refers to a device suitable for providing input to a computer, computer system or user device by a person. This input is not limited to a particular modality and may include mechanical movement, sound, images, and the like. The input may be discrete and / or continuous. The input is also not limited by the number of degrees of freedom. The input can be direct as well as indirect input. When providing input related to a position or its change, such as an indicator on a screen, the input can be both absent and relative. A non-exhaustive list of examples of input devices includes a keyboard, a computer mouse, a touchpad, a touchscreen, a camera, a scanner, a joystick, a microphone, a light pen, a trackball, a projected keyboard and a game controller.

In this document, the term communication module for connection to the Internet refers to a tangible device for connecting to a network, whereby data communication with the Internet is possible via the network.

The network may also concern the Internet itself. A non-exhaustive list of wireless networking technologies includes Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11a,

IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11η and IEEE 802.11ac. A non-exhaustive list of wireless networking technologies includes Ethernet and IEEE 802.3, A non-exhaustive list of Internet technologies includes IP, TCP, ÜDP, DNS, PPP,

SLIP, ICMP, POP3, IMAP, SMTP, HTTP, HTTPS, SSH, Telnet, FTP, LDAP, SSL and TLS.

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a computer-implemented method for reporting a legal act concerning a file. The file is

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BE2017 / 5259 hereby a patent application or a patent. A first computer system comprising a first processor, a first communication module for connection to the Internet and a first database comprising a legal transaction concerning the file is provided. The file hereby corresponds to a search term, The first computer system is configured to send information about the legal transaction concerning the file based on the search term, There is also a second computer system comprising a second processor, a second communication module for connection to the Internet and a second database comprising an identification code. Here, the identification code corresponds to a customer with whom an e-mail address is associated. Also, a user interface comprising a third processor, at least one input device, a screen, a third communication module for connection to the Internet and a tangible non-transient storage medium is provided, A notification containing the identification code is received on the user device, A search term is sent from the first user device to the first computer system, and the right-hand operation information regarding the file is received on the user device. An electronic summary based on the information is made on the user equipment. The e-mail address corresponding to the customer corresponding to the identification code is requested from the second computer system using the user equipment. An e-mail containing the electronic summary is sent to the e - shipping address sent using the user tool. Preferably, the search term includes an application number, a publication number, a patent number or at least a portion of a company name,

The present invention is advantageous in that it provides a summary of the legal transaction information regarding the patent application / patent, including sending an electronic summary to a customer's email address.

The invention is an improvement in comparison with the prior art, since an electronic summary and not the unprocessed information itself can be sent to the customer. It is possible to provide the client with a more nuanced image of the legal act, as well as to propose the following procedural actions. The formal aspects of the patent application or patent are also mostly unknown to the customer, who may react uneasily or panicky by providing only the unprocessed information. In addition, the unprocessed information may include a multitude of facts that are irrelevant to the customer, which also prevent a clear overview of the legal transaction.

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Preferably, the electronic summary comprises an electronic document in the portable document format. This is advantageous because it allows easy distribution and display of the electronic summary on various computers. Furthermore, the client can easily print the electronic document. The electronic document also allows to start a discussion about the content, eg by annotating the electronic document. The electronic document also forms a bundling of the work delivered for the customer, which ensures that the work delivered is demonstrable to the customer or a third party.

In a preferred embodiment, a template (template) is provided. Making an electronic summary of the information on the user device in this case involves at least partially filling in the template with at least part of the information. Usually, the information is sent by the first computer system to the user device in a structured manner. allows the automatic localization of desired parts of the information. These parts can then be copied in the template. The template can be filled in completely, and then sent to the e-mail address of the customer.

The template can also be filled in at least partially, and made available for inspection by a person on the user device. In this case, at least a portion of the template is displayed on the screen of the user device. Adjustments can be made with the at least one user device input device. Preferably, the at least one input device includes a keyboard. Preferably, the fen at least one input device also includes a pointer operating device, such as, for example, a computer mouse, a touchpad or a touchscreen.

In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the step of entering via the at least one input device of the search term on the user device, and the tangible non-translational storage medium of the user device comprises instructions for retrieving the information about a legal act concerning the file, the detecting pre-desired text parts in the information, copying the detected text parts in the template, and displaying at least a portion of the at least partially completed template including the copied text parts from the information on the screen, This is advantageous because it the processing time for a user is greatly reduced. The latter only needs to check the copied information and no longer has to copy it itself.

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Here, the nature or location of the desired text components may depend on the type of right-hand operation.

In one embodiment, the notification 5 containing the identification code received on the user device is sent by the second computer system. The second cornering system may herein include a task and client management system, which is configured to provide a notification on the user equipment screen regarding a particular task to be performed. Preferably, the notification is provided at a predetermined time before expiry of a deadline related to the task.

In one embodiment, the notification including the identification code received on the user device is sent by the first computer system. This may be the case, for example, when the search term is stored in the first database, and the first computer system is configured to send a notification containing the identification code upon addition of a right operation concerning a file corresponding to the search term. Preferably, sending the notification includes sending an email containing the notification.

In a preferred embodiment, after the notification for the first computer system has been sent, additional information about the legal transaction concerning the file is requested via the user device from the first computer system. The method may comprise the step of sending the additional information in portable document format. from the first computer system to the user device. Here, the method may comprise the step of sending the first computer system to the user device of the additional information in hypertext markup language, e.g. after retrieving the additional information using a web browser. Preferably, in this preferred embodiment, the template is provided on the second computer system and sent from the second computer system to the user device, e.g. after retrieving the template using a web browser.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a system for reporting a legal transaction concerning a file. The system hereby comprises the first computer system, the second computer system and the user device. Furthermore, the system is configured to perform the computer-implemented method according to the first aspect of the invention.

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In a third aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product for reporting a legal act concerning a file. The computer program product herein includes a tangible non-transient storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for performing the computer -imputed method according to the first aspect of the invention.

Preferably, the user device is connected to an Ethernet network to connect to the Internet via a router. Preferably, the data communication technologies employed include the HTTPS protocol and an email protocol. The e-mail protocol preferably includes the IMAP, POP3, SMTP or HTTP protocol.

In what follows, the invention is described by means of non-limiting examples illustrating the invention, which are not intended or should be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention,

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1: LEGAL ACTION REGARDING A PATENT APPLICATION

A competitor of a customer is the applicant for a published patent application without a research report. An order is made on an online task management system accessible via the HTTPS protocol using a web browser to monitor the investigation report of the published patent application. The order is associated with an identification code as well as the customer and his e-mail address.

On the European Patent Register accessible via the HTTPS protocol using a web browser, a register alert is set for a published patent application without a research report, based on the publication number and comprising the identification code and a second e-mail address.

When the research report is published, a notification is sent to the second email address containing the identification code. The task corresponding to the identification code is requested on the online task management system as well as the email address of the customer. The research report is requested via and downloaded to the user device, the novelty and / or inventiveness-damaging documents of the research report are identified. The publication and / or patent numbers of the identified documents are entered into a template, and hyperlinks to the documents are added. The completed

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BE2017 / 5259 template is saved in portable document format and then sent to the customer's email address.

EXAMPLE 2; LEGAL OPERATION REGARDING A PATENT 5

A competitor of a customer has an extensive patent portfolio under various company names. Examples of the various company names may include Bedrijf Intellectuele Eigendom NV and Bedrijf Belgium NV. The customer wishes to be kept informed of the legal status of the patent portfolio. A notification is submitted in Darts IP for additions of legal acts including the search term Company with the applicant and / or owner, i.e. at least part of the company name. Sending a notification here includes sending an email to a second email address associated with an account on Darts IP, the email including an identification code. With an identification code corresponding to an online task management system accessible via the HTTPS protocol using a web browser, an assignment, a customer and an e-mail address of the customer correspond.

Upon addition of a new legal act comprising Company to the applicant and / or owner, a notification is sent to the second email address including the identification code. This email is processed on a user device. Darts IP is logged in via the HTTPS protocol using a web browser, information about the added legal act based on the search term is downloaded on the user device, a template is indicated with the relevant text parts of the information, an electronic document in portable document format is generated from the completed template and the electronic document is then sent to the customer's email address using the user tool.

EXAMPLE 3; STATUS OF A PUBLISHED DOCUMENT

In an online task bear system, an identification code comprising an order, a customer and an e-mail address of the customer is entered, as well as a deadline for the order. At a predetermined time before the deadline, a notification is displayed on a screen of a user device regarding the order. In a word processing program, information regarding the command is displayed,

This information must be indicated with the status of a patent. Instructions are provided on the tangible non-transient storage medium of the user device

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BE2017 / 5259 to display a text input frame to enter the patent number. The instructions request status information regarding the granted patent in the European Patent Register. The relevant parts are copied from the status information and a template is indicated with these relevant parts. An example of such a designated template for a European patent is shown in the next section. The highlighted relevant parts are represented by inverted commas for clarification. In reality, the relevant relevant parts cannot be delimited by inverted commas.

European Patent No. EPOOOOOOO in the name of Company, based on European Patent Application No. 00000000.0 filing 01/02/1000, which claims the priority date 01/01/1000 of DE Application No. DE1000000000, was published 01/01/1005. No opposition was filed within the time limit (modified on 01/10/1005). The patent has been validated in AT, BE, CH, DE, FR, GB,

IT, LI, LU, MC and SE.

The text No opposition was filed within the time limit (modified on 01/10/1005). is an example of an optional text that is only displayed if the corresponding information is also indicated in the European Patent Register.

An electronic document in portable document format is created from the text displayed in the word processing program, and the electronic document is sent to the client's email address.

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Claims (15)

CONCLUSIONS A computer-implemented method for reporting a legal act concerning a file, the file a patent application or a patent, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a first computer system comprising a first processor, a first communication module for connection to the Internet, and a first database comprising a legal act concerning the file, the file corresponding to a search term, the first computer system configured to send information about the legal act concerning the file based on the search term; d. transmitting the search term of a user device comprising a third processor, at least one input device, a screen, a third communication module for connection to the Internet, and a tangible non-transient storage medium to the first computer system; and e. receiving the information from the first computer system on the user device, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: b. providing a second computer system comprising a second processor, a second communication module for connection to the Internet, and a second database comprising an identification code comprising a customer comprising an e-mail address; c. receiving a notification including the identification code on the user device; f. summarize the information on the user device, resulting in an electronic summary; g. request the e-mail address corresponding to the identification code on the second computer system using the user device; and h. sending an email including the electronic summary to the email address using the user device. The computer implemented method according to the preceding claim 1, wherein the electronic summary comprises an electronic document in the portable document format. 2017/5259 The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the step of summarizing the information on the user device comprises at least partially filling in a template with at least a portion of the information. The computer implemented method according to the preceding claim 3, wherein the method comprises the steps of entering via the at least one input device of the search term; and displaying at least a portion of the at least partially blanked template including at least a portion of the information on the screen. The computer implemented method according to the preceding claim 4, wherein the method comprises the step of adjusting the on-screen display of at least a portion of the at least partially completed template using the at least one input device. The computer implemented method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the notification received on the user device including the identification code is sent by the second corpus system, The computer implemented method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the notification received on the user device including the identification code is sent by the first cluster system. The computer implemented method according to the preceding claim 7, wherein the search term is stored in the first database, and the first cooper system is configured to send a notification including the identification code upon addition of a legal transaction concerning a file corresponding to the search term. Computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims 7 and 8, wherein an e-mail comprising the notification is sent. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the method comprises the step of sending a query of additional information about the legal act concerning the user device file to the first corpus system, and the BE2017 / 5259 sending an electronic document comprising the requested additional information in portable document format from the first computer system to the user equipment. The computer implemented method of any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the method comprises the step of sending the template from the second computer system to the user equipment. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the search term comprises an application number, a publication number, a patent number, or at least part of a company name. The computer implemented method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 12, wherein the at least one input device comprises a keyboard and a computer mouse. 14. System for reporting a legal transaction concerning a file, the file a patent application or a patent, the system comprising a user device, a first computer system and a second computer system, the first computer system comprising a first processor, a first communication module for connection to the Internet and a first database comprising a legal act concerning the file, the file corresponding to a search term, the first computer system configured to send information about the legal act concerning the file based on the search term, the second computer system comprising a second processor, a second communication module for connection to the Internet and a second database comprising an identification code comprising a customer comprising an e-mail address, the user equipment comprising a third processor, at least one input device, a screen, a third communication module for connection With the Internet and a tangible non-transient storage medium, the system configured to perform the computer-implemented method according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 13. 15. Computer program product for reporting a legal act concerning a file, the file a patent application or a patent, the computer program product comprising a tangible non-transitory 2017/5259 1Δ BE2017 / 5259 storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions for performing the computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 13. 2017/5259 BE2017 / 5259 METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR REPORTING A LEGAL ACT ON A PATENT APPLICATION OE A PATENT