Hierarchical Technical Element Arrangement for Patent Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of the patent universe, with increasing patent filings and fragmented technology, makes it difficult and costly for providers to determine intellectual property infringement, patentability, and other tasks, as existing software tools are inadequate in reducing patent references to a manageable and reliable set.
Innovation Solution
A method for creating an interactive hierarchical arrangement of technical elements to facilitate efficient patent infringement analysis, allowing users to select and de-select elements, correlate patent claims with these elements, and display genus-species relationships, stored on a user-engageable computer display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional software tools are used for patent searching, then users can perform basic text searches, but the tools are inadequate to reduce the pool of patent references to a practical and reliable amount
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reference pool is segmented into hierarchical groups based on technical elements and their relationships. The system divides the large set of patents into manageable subsets organized by technical concepts, allowing users to navigate through structured categories rather than searching through all references at once. This segmentation enables both comprehensive coverage and practical usability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a hierarchical dimension to patent searching by organizing references through multiple levels of technical elements (genus-species relationships). Instead of flat text-based searching, the patent is structured in a multi-dimensional hierarchy where users can drill down from broad technical categories to specific patent references, transforming the search space into navigable layers.
2Reliability
If users manually analyze hundreds or thousands of patent references, then comprehensive IP analysis can be achieved, but significant financial cost, time, and manpower are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary organization of patent references into hierarchical structures based on technical elements before users conduct their analysis. By pre-grouping patents according to their technical content and relationships, the system eliminates the need for users to manually categorize each reference during their research, significantly reducing analysis time while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The hierarchical technical element structure serves as an intermediary between the large patent database and the user's analysis needs. This intermediate organization layer filters and presents only the most relevant patent groups for each technical inquiry, reducing the volume of references users must examine while ensuring comprehensive IP analysis through the structured hierarchy.
3Quantity of substance
If the patent universe continues to grow with increasing filings, then more intellectual property is protected, but the complexity makes it increasingly difficult to interface with the patent system
Solution Approach 1:
The hierarchical technical element structure provides a universal framework that can accommodate any patent regardless of its specific technical field. By organizing all patents through common technical element categories and relationships, the system creates a multi-functional structure that handles diverse patent types uniformly, making the increasingly large patent universe manageable through a single organized system.
Data Source
AI summary
According to aspects of the present invention, methods, systems, and media are provided for creating, storing, and using an interactive hierarchical arrangement of technical elements useful for conducting efficient patent infringement and similar analysis. The hierarchical arrangement of technical elements is adapted to be displayed on a user-engageable computer display in a manner that allows a user to select and de-select particular technical elements. Methods and systems include storing records of technical elements in hierarchical relationships, which elements are correlated to specific patent claims during an annotation process. The hierarchical arrangement of technical elements is displayed so as to indicate genus-species relationships among the technical elements, while the stored correlations are used as a basis to perform highly efficient claims-based patent analysis.