User interface for providing docketing data

Abstract

Methods and systems for receiving docketing data are disclosed. The methods and systems perform operations comprising: obtaining, by a first party, a patent file wrapper from a publicly accessible database of patent records, the patent file wrapper including a plurality of patent documents; receiving, from the first party, user input that tags a patent document of the plurality of patent documents in the patent file wrapper, wherein the patent document that is tagged is associated with a patent activity that occurred within a threshold period of time; and transmitting, to a second party by the first party, a communication that includes the tagged patent document.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]The management of patent portfolios involves multiple stages of the patent lifecycle. Initially, a decision is made as to what inventions are worth the investment of filing a patent application. Then, each filed patent application goes through prosecution with the patent office. Finally, for each patent that is allowed, maintenance fees must be paid at a variety of intervals to keep the patent in force. Patent management tools are used by companies and law firms for active patent matters (e.g., unfiled, pending and issued patent matters) as well as inactive patent matters (e.g., expired, abandoned or closed patent matters) to enable users to efficiently manage patent matters throughout the patent lifecycle.[0002]Many patent management tools include patent docketing capabilities for tracking important due dates for PTO related deadlines and providing a document repository for PTO related correspondences and documents. The patent docketing process may involve (1) stori...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This lack of predefined structure in the way in which information is communicated places a great burden on the second party who is receiving these notifications to discern what the particular patent prosecution activity is in order to properly categorize and input the particular patent prosecution activity into the patent database maintained by the second party.

Further, such lack of structure in the way in which patent prosecution activities are reported and communicated across different parties in different jurisdictions increases the risk of introducing errors into the docketing information that is being maintained by a receiving party.

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