JPH0197694A - Patent control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the efficiency of the patent managing work by selectively reading out the dealing guide corresponding to the query item stored in a computer, and printing the same on a specific printing column of a document for patent management which is divided into two parts, that is, a communication part and a reply part. CONSTITUTION: The necessary items relating to the notice/query, is selectively read out from various data stored in a computer system in advance, and the dealing guide corresponding to the query item is selected in the computer to be printed by the computer onto a document for patent management which is divided into a communication part and a reply part, so that it is sent from a patent manager side to an inventor side to perform the notice/query of various items. The computer system comprises a central processing unit 12, a terminal unit 13 and an output unit 16, and the necessary items are printed by setting the document for patent management, and inputting a number for specifying the case, the input item assignment and the data. As mentioned in the above, the document for the communication and reply can be efficiently prepared, and the dealing method corresponding to the content of query can be listed and informed to the inventor side.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention is a method for notifying and/or inquiring about matters related to patents, from the patent management department, patent office, etc. This invention relates to a computer-based patent management method that uses patent management forms sent to inventors in related departments.

[Conventional technology]

In general, once you file one patent application (including an application for utility model registration, etc.), until the patent is granted, (a) Inquiry on procedural amendments (b) Inquiry on request for examination (c) Inquiry on acceptance of reasons for refusal/how to deal with them (c) Inquiry on acceptance of reasons for refusal/how to handle them C) Acceptance of decision of refusal and inquiry on how to deal with it (E) Intermediate administrative procedures such as acceptance of the objection and inquiry on how to deal with it must be carried out many times, and even after the patent is granted, there is no need to continue paying pensions. It is necessary to carry out makeshift work, etc. For this reason, the patent management department has to process a large number of different types of procedures every day, and associated documents are issued frequently, so there has been a desire to improve the efficiency of office work through computer management.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in this case, an important requirement is not only the input of data, but also the format in which the input data is output, that is, the type of form to be used.If this form is poorly designed, various types of problems may occur. It becomes necessary to prepare a form, and it takes time and effort when setting it in the printer. In addition, such forms need to be easy to read and understand (and view) by an unspecified number of people on the inventor's side, but if they are poorly designed, they will be unsatisfactory in these respects. In other words, such a form (a) saves time and effort on the part of the patent administrator, and (b) is easy to understand for the person receiving it.
Furthermore, in order to make it easier to reply to this question, to make it easier for the patent administrator who receives the answer to understand it, and to make this administrative procedure and subsequent administrative procedures convenient, It is necessary to create a report.

By the way, in the past, there was no form that could meet these various requirements, and the content of notifications and inquiries were simply written on a form and sent from the patent administrator to the inventor. There was an inconvenience in that it was not possible to respond smoothly if the inventor was not accustomed to patent work. In other words, it is usually difficult for an inventor who receives such a letter to know what to do if the letter simply says, for example, "Notice of Decision of Refusal."

Moreover, when submitting answers in writing, different departments may use various forms, and patent managers who receive these answers often feel inconvenienced in the subsequent procedures (organization). In even worse cases, the patent manager who receives the answer may not even be able to identify which patent the answer is for.

This invention has been developed in view of the above points +I) It is possible to create a document by computer printing without comparing it with a ledger or a filed document, and the creation work can be done efficiently; (2) In addition, the contents of the notification and/or inquiry can be printed out by computer in this communication column. ■ The computer can print out the response room corresponding to the inquiry content in a menu and notify the inventor; ■ The purpose is to provide a patent management method using a patent management form that can print out notifications and references for this letter using a computer.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the patent management method according to the present invention includes:
In a patent management method that uses a patent management form that is sent from a patent manager to the inventor when notifying or inquiring about patent-related matters to the inventor, the patent management form is: (a) It is divided into left and right or upper and lower areas, and one of the resulting areas is used as a communication part, and the other of the same area is used as an answer part, (b) and the communication part is provided with the necessary information for labeling the patent. A first printing field for computer-printing at least one of the application number, the title of the invention, and the serial number, a second printing field for computer-printing the destination, notification matters, and inquiry matters. In addition to providing a third printing column for sorting and computer-printing the communication requirements of A printing column 1a is provided for printing at least one of the above items on a computer, and a printing column 3a is provided for printing on a computer so that the inventor can select a response system corresponding to the inquiry item. When the configuration is configured and the input items are specified for the relevant matter from the terminal and the data is input, the data is stored, and the relevant items are printed in each column by the printer, and the above-mentioned item 3a is printed. The system is characterized in that a specific response system corresponding to the inquiry item is automatically selected from among the response systems previously stored in the computer in the column, and this is simultaneously printed out by the computer.

[For production]

A response system corresponding to an inquiry item stored in a computer system in advance is selectively read out from a predetermined printing column of a patent management form divided into a communication part and an answer part, and the computer prints it out.

〔Example〕

Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a patent management form used in the patent management method according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a patent management form used in the patent management method according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a combinator system.

The patent management method according to this embodiment selectively reads necessary matters related to notifications and inquiries from various data stored in a computer system in advance for a patent management form divided into a communication part and a reply part. In addition, the system that corresponds to the inquiry is selected in the computer, printed out by the computer, and the printed patent management form is sent from the patent administrator to the inventor, so that notifications and inquiries about various matters related to patents can be carried out. It is something to do.

First, the structure of a patent management form used for notifications and inquiries will be explained based on FIG.

This patent management form 11 is composed of a sheet of paper (size B4) that serves both as a communication form and an answer sheet, and there is a perforation 2 approximately in the center of the sheet 1 to divide the sheet 1 into two. (or simply a dot 1ll), by means of which the perforation 2 can separate the paper 1 into a communication part 3 and an answer part 4. In addition, each position on the communication part 3 includes an address printing field (second printing field) 5, an identification information printing field (first printing 11) 6, a notice/inquiry printing field (third printing field) )7.Reply deadline printing m (4th printing field)
7a, intermediate procedure matter printing column (fifth printing column) 8, and attached document printing 4!4 (sixth printing column) 17 are provided.

Each of these printing fields will be explained below.

First, the destination printing field 5 is for printing the destination of the paper 1 by computer, and is provided at the upper left of the communication section 3. In addition, the identification information printing column 6 is for computer-printing the information necessary to identify the case, such as application number, name of invention, patent classification, etc. It is located slightly above the section. The identification information printed 4[i6 allows the inventor who receives this form 1 to easily know which patent the notification/inquiry is regarding. In addition, the notice/inquiry printing field 7 is a field in which the purpose of sending this form 1, that is, the matters to be contacted to the other party, is printed out using a computer. It is divided into a section for printing matters to be investigated (hereinafter referred to as the "inquiry matter printing section"), and both sections can be used depending on the purpose, and the necessary and appropriate text can be printed out by computer.

For example: (a) When inquiring about the necessity of amendment to the invention, ``Necessity of amendment'' is printed in the ``inquiry matter printing section''. When inquiring about the necessity of a request and the necessity of an amendment, ``Notification of publication number'' is printed in the ``notification matter printing section'', and ``necessity of a request for examination'' and ``amendment'' are printed in the ``inquiry matter printing section''. whether it is necessary or not”
is printed.

(c) When inquiring about the notification and how to deal with the notification when you receive a notice of reasons for refusal, enter "Receipt of notice of reasons for refusal" in the "notification matters printing section" and "How to deal with the reasons for refusal" in the "inquiry matters printing section". ” etc. is printed.

When the computer prints on the "inquiry printing section," a menu of countermeasures corresponding to the inquiry among the multiple countermeasures stored in advance in the computer system is printed out by the computer in the printing field 3a of the answer section. It is now possible to

The response deadline printing field 7a is for printing the deadline date for responses to the inquiry items printed by the computer on the inquiry item printing section and the name of the person in charge of the matter. In addition, the attached document printing field 17 is used to print the name of the necessary document related to the notification/inquiry items that are sent together with the notification/inquiry. If “How to deal with reasons for refusal” is printed on the matters printed section, (1) Notice of reasons for refusal (copy), (2) References, (
3) Patent Department comments, etc. can be printed.

In addition, the intermediate procedure matter printing column 8 is for computer printing of the progress of the proceedings to date regarding this patent by associating the date with the procedure name, and is provided at the lower right of the same month paper 1. The text will be printed.

Similarly, at each position on the answer part 4, an identification item printing field 9 (the 1ath printing 4Iil) and a countermeasure menu printing field 10 (the 38th printing field) are provided.

Here, the identification information printing field 9 is for computer printing of the application number, name of the invention, special award classification, etc., which are necessary for identifying the case, like the identification information printing field 6. , is provided above the answer section 4. The identification information printing field 9 allows the patent manager who receives the form 1 to easily know which patent the answer is for. Further, a countermeasure menu printing column 10 is provided below the answer section 4, and is divided into a column for inquiry contents and a column for reply contents. In this countermeasure menu printing field 10, several types of countermeasures are printed out in a menu format by the computer according to the inquiries in the inquiry printing field 7. If Column 7 contains "Inquiry about the necessity of correction", a similar statement will be printed on the computer in the Inquiry content column of this countermeasure menu printing column 10, and a message "Correction required" will be printed in the Response content column. (The details of the amendment are as follows.) The computer prints out that no amendment is required, and also indicates that the notification of reasons for refusal has been accepted.
If it is written as "Inquiry on how to deal with it," Oral: Submit a written opinion (contents are as below) Oral: Submit procedural amendment and written opinion (opinions/contents and amendments are as below) Oral: Submit an application for change If you agree, the answer menu will be printed out on the computer. A large number of contents of these treatment menus are stored in the computer depending on the inquiry items.

In this way, the patent management form 11 described above has paper 1 divided into 2
Since the communication part 3 and the answer part 4 can be created at the same time, the communication part 3 and the answer part 4 can be created simultaneously. The printing of the necessary information on the answer part 4 is done by a computer system, which will be described in detail later, so it can be created efficiently without having to handwrite it.

Next, based on Figure 2, the above-mentioned patent management form is notified and
The configuration of a computer system that prints necessary information regarding inquiries will be explained.

This computer system has a general configuration including a central processing unit 12, a terminal device 13, and an output device 16.

The central processing unit 12 is the core of the computer system, and stores various data related to patents that have been filed (or have not yet been filed, if necessary), such as application number, patent-grant category, inventor, title of invention, intermediate procedure status, etc. . . , etc. are stored for each patent, and a plurality of countermeasure plans (coping menus) corresponding to the notification/inquiry content are stored for each notification/inquiry content.

The terminal device 13 is a CTR (cathode ray tube) 1
4 and a keyboard 15, etc., and from this terminal device 13, any one of the application number, publication number, public notice number, registration number, trial number, serial number, etc., and data such as a notice of reasons for refusal are input. When the date is input, the data is recorded and fR. Moreover, when the computer identifies the input item and determines that a notification/inquiry is required, a notification/inquiry corresponding to the notification/inquiry content is displayed in the print fields 7, 7a and the answer menu column 1G, depending on the input item. The sentence and countermeasure plan are read out in the computer, and this is supplied to the printer 16.
The information is printed on the patent management form 11 attached to the computer.

Therefore, by simply setting the patent management form 11 on the printer 16 and inputting the number for specifying the case, designation of input items, and data from the terminal device 13, the patent management form 11 can be created.
Necessary matters regarding a desired notification or inquiry are printed in a predetermined printing field.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of the structure of the patent management form used in the present invention. Patent management form 11a shown in this figure
This differs from the patent management form 11 shown in FIG. 1 in that a communication section 3a and a response section 4a are arranged one above the other.

Even in this case, the same effect as when using the patent management form 11 shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained.

In addition, in each of the embodiments described above, the patent management form 1
1. 11a is printed one by one using a computer system, however, a plurality of patent management forms with the same content may be created at once using pressure-sensitive paper or the like.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the patent management form 11. Although lla is explained as a single sheet, this patent management form 11. lla may be constructed using continuous paper. Thereby, the setting on the printer 16 can be further simplified.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the patent management method of the present invention, communication and response documents can be simultaneously and efficiently printed out by computer without having to check against ledgers or filed documents. (2) In addition, in this communication field, the contents of the notification can be printed out by computer printing, and the method of dealing with the inquiry at this time can be listed by computer printing and sent to the inventor. Furthermore, since the communication section is provided with a column for computer-printing the intermediate procedure status, the progress of the intermediate procedure up to now can be automatically printed out by the computer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a patent management form used in the patent management method according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is a computer that prints necessary information regarding notifications and inquiries on the patent management form shown in Figure 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the system. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of a patent management form used in the patent management method according to the present invention. 1...Paper, 3...Communication part, 4...Answer part,
5... Address print field (second print fil), 6... Identification print field (first print 4F4), ? ... Communication/inquiry matter printing field, (third printing field), 8... Intermediate procedure matter printing field (fifth printing field), 9... Identification matter printing field (
1a printing + 14), 10... countermeasure menu printing column (38th printing column), 11... patent management form. Patent applicant Nippon Mining Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a patent management method using a patent management form sent from a patent manager to the inventor when notifying or inquiring about matters related to a patent to the inventor, the patent management form is (a) Divide the paper into left and right or top and bottom, use one of the resulting areas as a communication area, and use the other area as an answer area, and (b) mark the communication area with the patent. A first printing field for computer-printing at least one of the application number, title of the invention, and serial number necessary for the identification, a second printing field for computer-printing the shipping address, and a notification. A third printing column is provided for sorting and computer printing the communication requirements for matters and inquiries, and (c) In the answer part, the application number necessary for marking the patent is provided. , a printing column 1a for computer-printing at least one of the title of the invention and a serial number; and 3a for computer-printing so that the inventor can select a countermeasure corresponding to the inquiry. It has a configuration with print fields, and when you specify input items for the relevant item from the terminal and input data, the data is stored, and the relevant items are printed by the printer in each of the fields. A patent management method characterized in that a specific countermeasure corresponding to the inquiry item is automatically selected from countermeasures stored in the computer in advance in the printing field 3a, and the selected countermeasure is simultaneously printed by the computer.