JP2002163271A - Patent management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To wholly retrieve related foreign applications from optional domestic applications. SOLUTION: This patent management system 1 retrieves the foreign applications related to the domestic applications from selected domestic applications, and includes a data part 3A having a foreign priority data part 3c for relating the domestic applications to the foreign applications with these domestic applications as the basis of priority and a domestic priority data part 3d for relating the domestic applications to a basic domestic application being the basis of priority of these domestic applications, and a control means 5 for acquiring required information according to predetermined processing procedure by making access to this data part 3A. The processing procedure includes processing to retrieve the foreign applications with the selected domestic applications as the basis of priority from the foreign priority data part 3c, and processing to retrieve the basic domestic application being the basis of priority of the domestic applications from the domestic priority data part 3d, and to retrieve the foreign applications with this basic domestic application as the basis of priority from the foreign priority data part 3c.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a patent management system which is useful for completely searching a foreign application related to a domestic application from an arbitrarily selected domestic application.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years,
With the increase in the number of applications and the increase in the number of foreign applications due to the globalization of the market, patent management systems using computers are being built to efficiently manage such many applications among companies. is there. Various types of patent management systems have been proposed, including those that manage time limits (for example, JP-A-6-203045 and JP-A-11-195060) and those that create specifications for applications (for example, No. 11-134399).

[0003] As a basic patent management system, it is often performed to search a selected domestic application for a foreign application (so-called patent family) related to the domestic application. Such problems have been pointed out.

[0004] For example, suppose that a domestic application X has been filed, and a foreign application Z has been filed based on the domestic application X while claiming the priority stipulated in Article 4 of the Paris Convention. When the foreign application Z was filed, it was necessary to partially review the content of the invention and add an improved invention. In some cases, a domestic application Y claiming a national priority and adding the improved invention is made. In addition, since domestic application X is deemed withdrawn one year and three months after its filing date, in practice, domestic application Y is mainly controlled. However, in many current patent management systems, for example, even if the domestic application Y is selected and a corresponding foreign application is searched, the foreign application Z cannot be extracted.

[0005] Further, if there is a domestic application newly divided or changed from the domestic application on which the priority of the foreign application was based,
At present, the same problem as described above occurs when searching for a foreign application related to the divisional / changed domestic application.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above problems. According to the invention described in claim 1, even for a domestic application claiming a domestic priority, the related foreign application can be searched without fail. It aims to provide a patent management system that can be used. Another object of the present invention is to provide a patent management system capable of completely searching for related foreign applications even for domestic applications related to divisions, changes, and the like. Furthermore, the invention described in claim 3 provides a patent management system capable of completely searching foreign applications related to a domestic application claiming domestic priority and a domestic application relating to division or change. The purpose is.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a patent management system for retrieving a foreign application related to a domestic application from an arbitrarily selected domestic application. A Foreign Priority Data Division that links this domestic application with a foreign application based on priority, and a National Priority Data Division that links a domestic application with the basic national application that was the basis of priority for this domestic application. And a control means for accessing the data section and extracting necessary information in accordance with a predetermined processing procedure, and the processing procedure is based on a priority based on the selected domestic application. Processing for retrieving a first foreign application as an application from the foreign priority data section, and retrieving a basic domestic application on which the priority of the selected domestic application was based on the national priority data section And al search, and is characterized in that the second foreign application is a foreign application that priority is the basic national application and a process of searching from the foreign priority data unit.

[0008] The invention according to claim 2 is a patent management system for retrieving a foreign application related to the domestic application from an arbitrarily selected domestic application. A data section having at least a foreign priority data section that relates the foreign application filed, and a source application data section that links the domestic application and the original national application when the domestic application is a divisional or modified application; and A control means for accessing a data section and retrieving necessary information in accordance with a predetermined processing procedure, wherein the processing procedure is a first foreign application which is a foreign application based on the priority of the selected domestic application From the foreign priority data section, and from the selected domestic application,
The original national application which is the basis of the division and modification is searched from the original national application data division, and the third foreign application which is a foreign application based on this original domestic application is referred to as the foreign priority data. And processing for searching from a section.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the data section includes a national priority data section for associating a national application with a basic national application on which the priority of the national application is based, and Retrieves the first basic national application which is the basis of the priority of the selected national application from the national priority data division, and obtains the second basic application which is a foreign application based on this priority national application. 3. The patent management system according to claim 2, further comprising a process of searching the foreign priority data section for a foreign application.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the processing procedure, the second priority national application which is a national application on which the priority of the original national application was based is searched from the national priority data section. 4. The patent according to claim 3, further comprising: searching the foreign priority data section for a fourth foreign application that is a foreign application based on the second basic domestic application based on priority. It is a management system.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the processing procedure, the first foreign application, the second foreign application, the third foreign application, and the fourth foreign application exclude overlapping foreign applications. The patent management system according to claim 4, further comprising a process of displaying on a display unit.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a block diagram of the patent management system of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the patent management system 1 of the present embodiment is configured by a computer device 2. In this example, the computer device 2 includes a storage unit 3, an input unit 4, a control unit 5, and an output unit 6.

The storage means 3 comprises an information storage medium such as a magnetic disk, and includes a data section 3A and a program section 3B. The data section 3A includes a domestic application data section 3a, a foreign application data section 3b, a foreign priority data section 3c, and a domestic priority data section 3d in this example, and in this example, each of the data sections 3a to 3d. Exemplifies files configured as one electronic file. However, it is not limited to this.

In the domestic application data section 3a, necessary management information and the like are recorded based on a certain rule for a plurality of domestic applications to be managed, as illustrated two-dimensionally in FIG. In the present embodiment, one domestic application constitutes one record (line), and each record includes “record No.”, “domestic application reception number”, and “reception date” in this example. , “Domestic application serial number”, “domestic application serial number of original application”, “application type”, and “application number”, and form a so-called database structure.

The “record No.” is a number that is automatically assigned in the order in which, for example, bibliographic information of a domestic application is input. The “domestic application reception number” is a unique number assigned by the intellectual property department or the like of the company that manages the domestic application according to a certain rule when the invention department is notified of the invention content. This domestic application receipt number is used when specifying the invention content, etc., from the time of notification of the invention content to the time of application. The “domestic application serial number” is a unique number assigned to a domestic application filed with the JPO according to certain rules, and is a so-called in-house number. In addition, application numbers are also assigned to domestic applications as unique numbers, but such reference numbers are frequently used for practical management.

The “domestic application serial number of the original application” is
For example, when the domestic application is an application relating to division or change, the serial number of the original domestic application which is the application from which the division or change was based is input. As described above, in the present embodiment, in the domestic application data section 3a, the original domestic application data section 3e including information relating the domestic application and the original domestic application when the domestic application is a divided or modified application is provided. Examples are included.

Further, as the "application type", an application form such as a normal application, a divisional application, a change application, or a domestic priority is input. These items are merely examples, and various other items may be provided in addition to these items or in place of these items. However, the domestic application data section 3a includes one or more unique items (in this example, “domestic application reception number”, “national application serial number”, and “application number”) that can specify at least one domestic application. Needless to say, it is necessary.

In the foreign application data section 3b, necessary management information on a plurality of foreign applications to be managed is recorded based on a certain rule, as illustrated two-dimensionally in FIG. In the present embodiment, the domestic application data section 3a
Similarly, one foreign application constitutes one record (line), and each record has "Record N
o. , "Foreign application acceptance number", "foreign application serial number", "application country", "application date", etc., and form a so-called database structure.

A foreign application may be filed with a plurality of foreign countries, for example, based on one or more national applications, claiming priority under Article 4 of the Paris Convention. For this reason, the “foreign application reception number” is used in this example as a number commonly assigned to all foreign applications filed based on the same domestic application. Also, the “foreign application serial number”
It is assigned according to a certain rule (for example, a two-digit country code is added to the end of the domestic application reference number), and is a unique number that can identify one foreign application. in this way,
It is necessary that the foreign application data 3b also include one or more unique items that can specify at least one domestic application.

The foreign priority data section 3c records information relating a domestic application to a foreign application whose priority is based on the domestic application. Specifically, as illustrated two-dimensionally in FIG. 4, the information on the domestic application includes the domestic application serial number and the application number, and the information on the foreign application includes the foreign application reception number. It is included. Therefore, referring to the foreign priority data section 3c, it is possible to specify the domestic application serial number or the application number, thereby specifying the “foreign application reception number” of the foreign application that is based on the domestic application. Can be.

The domestic priority data section 3d serves as a basis for a domestic application and an application claiming a priority (so-called "domestic priority") based on Article 41 of the Patent Act of the domestic application. Records information relating to the basic national application. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 in a two-dimensional manner, in this example, the “national application reception number” and the reference number and application number of the basic domestic application that was the basis of the domestic priority claim of that domestic application And so on. Therefore, by referring to the domestic priority data section 3d and specifying the domestic application reception number, the domestic application serial number (or application number) of the basic domestic application can be specified.

As described above, the foreign priority data section 3
“c” is linked to the domestic application data section 3a using “domestic application serial number” as a common item, and is linked to “foreign application reception number” as a common item to the foreign application data section 3b. The domestic priority data section 3d is linked to the domestic application data section 3a with the "domestic application reception number" as a common item. That is, the domestic application data section 3a,
The foreign application data section 3b, the foreign priority data 3c, and the domestic priority data section 3d share a same item with at least one other data section to constitute a so-called relational database having mutual relations. I have.

Next, the program section 3B of the storage means 3
Stores a predetermined processing procedure necessary for performing the patent management processing, and the control means 5 performs a predetermined processing according to the processing procedure (described later). The input unit 4 is for giving a predetermined command to the control unit 5 and the like, and includes at least one of devices such as a keyboard 4a and a mouse 4b. Have been.

The control unit 5 includes a processing unit 5a including, for example, a CPU, and a temporary storage unit 5b used by the processing unit 5a. The processing unit 5a accesses the storage unit 3 and extracts necessary information from the data unit 3A based on the processing procedure of the program unit 3B and the like, and stores it in the input / output unit I / O or the temporary storage unit 5b. It can output or write. Further, the output means 6 includes:
In this example, the display device includes a display device 6a that can display characters, images, and the like, and a printer device 6b that can print these on a document.

The processing procedure of the patent management system of the present embodiment configured as described above will be specifically described. An example of a processing procedure performed by the control unit 5 is shown in a flowchart of FIG. As shown in the figure, the control means 5 determines whether any one domestic application has been selected from the input means 4 to search for a related foreign patent (step S1). When a domestic application is selected, it is specified by a unique number such as a domestic application serial number and a national application reception number, and in the present embodiment, the one specified by the application number is shown. In the case of Y in step S1, a search process is performed based on the priority of the selected domestic application (step S2).

The processing in step S2 is for searching for a foreign application claiming priority based on the selected domestic application, and its detailed routine is defined in FIG. That is, first, the control means 5 controls the domestic application data section 3
a, the national application reference number is checked from the application number of the selected domestic application, and its value "a" is stored in the temporary storage means 5b.
(Step S21).

Next, the control means 5 controls the foreign priority data section 3
With reference to the item of "domestic application serial number" of c, it is determined whether or not there is a record including the value "a" in this item (step S22). If there is no record including the value “a” in the item “domestic application serial number” of the foreign priority data section 3c (N in step S22), the process returns to step S3 in FIG. On the other hand, if there is a record including the value "a" in the domestic application serial number item of the foreign priority data section 3c (Y in step S22), the foreign application reception number "b1, b2, ..." of that record is obtained. (Step S23). Next, the control means 5 refers to the foreign application data section 3b and determines that the value of the item of the foreign application receipt number is "b1, b2,
... ”(Step S24), and FIG.
Step S3 is executed. By such processing,
The patent management system can search the foreign priority data section for a first foreign application that is a foreign application based on the priority of the selected domestic application.

The process of step S3 in FIG. 6 searches for a foreign application based on the priority of the basic domestic application even if the selected domestic application is an application claiming a national priority. 8, a detailed routine is defined. First, the control means 5 refers to the domestic application data section 3a and checks the domestic application reception number from the application number of the selected domestic application,
The value "c" is obtained (step S31).

Next, the control means 5 controls the domestic priority data section 3
With reference to the item of the domestic application reception number of d, it is determined whether or not there is a record including the value “c” in this item (step S32). If there is no record including the value “c” in the domestic application reception number field of the domestic priority data section 3d (N in step S32), the process proceeds to step S32 in FIG.
Return to 4. On the other hand, when there is a record containing the value “c” in the item of the domestic application reception number in the domestic priority data section 3b (Y in step S32), the “basic domestic application arrangement based on the domestic priority” of that record is included. Number ”d1, d
2,... "(Step S33). This allows
Identify the basic national application of the selected national application.

Next, the control means 5 controls the foreign priority data section 3
c, the value of the domestic application serial number item is “d1, d
Foreign application receipt number "e1, e" of the record "2, ..."
... ”(Step S34). Further, the control means 5 acquires information on the record in which the value of the item of the foreign application receipt number is "e1, e2, ..." from the foreign application data section 3c (step S35), and returns to step S4 in FIG. By this processing, a second foreign application which is a foreign application based on the basic domestic application as a priority can be searched from the foreign priority data section.

Next, the process of step 4 in FIG. 6 is to search for a foreign application based on the priority of the original national application when the selected national application is divided or changed. Detailed routines are defined. First, the control means 5
Refers to the national application data section 3a and determines whether or not the selected domestic application has an original national application (ie, whether or not the selected national application is a national application for division or change). (Step S41). This can be determined by checking whether or not the item of “National application serial number of original application” in the national application data section 3a is null or the like. If there is no original domestic application in the selected domestic application (step S41)
N), no processing is performed in step S4, and step S4 is performed.
Return to 5. If the selected domestic application has an original domestic application (Y in step S41), the value "f" of the item of the domestic application serial number of the original domestic application is obtained (step S4).
2).

Next, the control means 5 performs a branching process. In one of the processes, the control means 5 refers to the foreign priority data section 3c and determines whether or not there is a record containing the value "f" in the item of the domestic application serial number. Is determined (step S43). If the record does not exist (N in step S43), the process is not performed in the one branch process. If the record exists (Y in step S43), the value “g1, g2,...” Of the “foreign application reception number” item of the record is obtained (step S44). Next, the control means 5 refers to the foreign application data section 3b and acquires a record in which the value of the item of the foreign application receipt number is "g1, g2, ..." (step S45). By such processing, the patent management system identifies the original domestic application of the selected domestic application and, at the same time, assigns the third foreign application which is a foreign application based on the original national application to the foreign priority. It can be retrieved from the data section 3b.

In step S4, in the other process of the branch process, the national application data section 3a is referred to,
The domestic application reception number "h" of the original domestic application is obtained (step S46). Next, the control means 5 refers to the domestic priority data section 3d, and determines whether or not there is a record including the value "h" in the item of the domestic application reception number (step S47). If the record does not exist (step S
No at 47), no processing is performed in the other branch processing. Conversely, if the record exists (Y in step S47), the value “i1, i2,...” Of the item of “basic domestic application serial number of domestic priority” of the record is acquired (step S48).

Next, the control means 5 controls the foreign priority data section 3
c, the value of the item of the domestic application serial number is “i1, i
Foreign application receipt number "j1, j" of the record "2, ..."
... ”(Step S49). Further, the control means 5 acquires information of the record in which the value of the item of the foreign application receipt number is “j1, j2,...” From the foreign application data section 3c (step S50), and returns to step S5 in FIG. By this process, the patent management system can identify the basic national application (second basic national application) when the original national application is an application claiming national priority, and can also specify the second basic national application. A fourth foreign application, which is a foreign application based on the priority of the application, can be searched.

Next, the control means 5 excludes overlapping foreign applications from the first foreign application, the second foreign application, the third foreign application, and the fourth foreign application obtained in the temporary storage means 5b (single foreign application). Then, a process of displaying the information on the display device 6a or the printer 6b is performed. FIG. 10 shows a result of performing such a search result and displaying it on the display device 6a. Such a process helps to accurately determine the number of foreign applications.

In this embodiment, in the processing procedure, the step S2 for searching for the first foreign application, the second
The step S3 for searching for a foreign application and the step S4 for searching for a third or fourth foreign application have been described as being performed in the order of steps S2, S3, and S4. Is included, the order in which it is executed is not particularly limited. That is, the same result can be obtained by performing the following steps (1) to (4), and these steps can be simultaneously performed in parallel as shown in FIG. Steps S2, S4, S3 Steps S3, S2, S4 Steps S3, S4, S2 Steps S4, S2, S3 Steps S4, S3, S2

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the data unit 3 and the input unit 4 may be connected via various network networks such as a public line such as the Internet or a dedicated line. In the above-described embodiment, the original domestic application data section is exemplified by the one included in the domestic application data 3a. However, the original domestic application data section can be defined in a separate file like other data sections.

[0038]

[Example] (Case 1) In the above embodiment, for example, when a domestic application is specified as a receipt number "P880191", the first
You can search for six foreign applications with a foreign application receipt number of "P10766" as foreign applications. There will be no second to fourth foreign applications. (Case 2) In the above embodiment, for example, when the domestic application is specified by the reception number “P11764”, the number of the first, third, and fourth foreign applications is 0, but as the second foreign application, You can search for two cases where the foreign application receipt number is “P10720”. (Case 3) In the above embodiment, for example, when the domestic application is specified by the reception number “P940184”, the number of the first, second, and fourth foreign applications is 0, but as the third foreign application, You can search for one case where the foreign application receipt number is "P10960".

[0039]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the processing procedure of the control means retrieves the basic domestic application which is the basis of the priority of the selected domestic application from the national priority data section. Processing and a process of searching the foreign priority data section for a second foreign application which is a foreign application based on the basic national application as a priority application. Even if the claim is made, it is possible to search for the corresponding foreign application by going back to the domestic application on which it was based, thereby reducing search omissions.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the processing procedure of the control means includes a process of searching the selected domestic application for an original national application which is the basis of division and modification from the original national application data section. Searching for a third foreign application, which is a foreign application based on the searched original national application on a priority basis, from the foreign priority data section.
Even if the selected domestic application is related to division, change, etc., a foreign application corresponding to the original domestic application can be searched back to the original domestic application, and search omissions can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, even if the selected national application claims a national priority, or relates to division, modification, etc., the basic application or the original domestic application The corresponding foreign application can be searched retroactively, and search omissions can be further reduced.

Further, in the invention according to claim 4, the processing procedure of the control means is to search the second priority domestic application, which is a domestic application which is the basis of the priority of the original national application, from the national priority data section. And including a process of searching the foreign priority data section for a fourth foreign application which is a foreign application based on the second basic domestic application as a priority application, so that the selected domestic application is Even if the application is divided after claiming the priority, the corresponding foreign application can be searched for back to the application on which the domestic priority was based, thereby further reducing omission in search.

In the invention described in claim 5, the control means excludes a duplicate foreign application from the first foreign application, the second foreign application, the third foreign application, and the fourth foreign application. By performing the process of displaying on the display unit, the number of cases can be accurately grasped, and search accuracy can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing a domestic application data section in two dimensions.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing a foreign application data section in two dimensions.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing a foreign priority data section in two dimensions.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing a two-dimensional domestic priority data section.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another definition routine;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing another definition routine.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another definition routine;

FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing an example in which search results are displayed on a display unit.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Patent management system 3 Storage means 3a Domestic application data section 3b Foreign application data section 3c Foreign priority data section 3d Domestic priority data section 4 Input means 5 Control means 6 Output means

Claims (5)

[Claims] Claims 1. A patent management system for retrieving a foreign application related to a domestic application from an arbitrarily selected domestic application, wherein the domestic application is associated with a foreign application based on this priority. A data section having at least a foreign priority data section and a national priority data section linking the national application with the basic national application on which the priority of this national application was based; and accessing and predetermining this data section Control means for extracting necessary information in accordance with the processing procedure described above, and the processing procedure includes, from the foreign priority data section, a first foreign application that is a foreign application based on the selected domestic application as a priority. Searching, searching the national priority data section for the basic national application that was the basis of the priority of the selected national application, and deriving the basic national application the priority Patent management system, characterized in that the second foreign application is a foreign application that includes a process of searching from the foreign priority data unit. 2. A patent management system for retrieving a foreign application related to a domestic application from an arbitrarily selected domestic application, wherein the domestic application is associated with a foreign application based on this priority. A data section having at least a foreign priority data section, and an original national application data section in which the domestic application is associated with the original national application when the domestic application is a divisional or modified application; and A control means for extracting necessary information in accordance with a predetermined processing procedure, and wherein the processing procedure includes the step of storing the first foreign application, which is a foreign application based on the selected domestic application on a priority basis, in the foreign priority data section. And from the selected national application, retrieves the original national application which is the basis of the division and modification from the original national application data section, and outputs the original domestic application. Searching for a third foreign application, which is a foreign application based on the application priority, from the foreign priority data section. 3. The data section includes a national priority data section that associates a national application with a basic national application on which the priority of the national application is based, and the processing procedure includes: The first basic national application which is the basis of the priority of the application is retrieved from the National Priority Data Division, and the second foreign application which is a foreign application based on this basic national application is referred to as the foreign priority application. 3. The patent management system according to claim 2, further comprising a search process from the right data section. 4. The processing procedure includes a step of searching the national priority data section for a second basic national application, which is a national application on which the priority of the original national application is based, and a step of searching the second basic national application. 4. The patent management system according to claim 3, further comprising a step of searching the foreign priority data section for a fourth foreign application that is a foreign application based on a domestic application. 5. The processing procedure according to claim 1, wherein the first foreign application, the second foreign application, the third foreign application and the fourth foreign application exclude a duplicated foreign application and display the same on a display unit. 5. The patent management system according to claim 4, wherein the system includes: