Patent registry architecture with portal for external annuity payment service providers

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for managing patent annuity fee payments. One method comprises using one or more processors to provide a registry of patent matters comprising, at least, a listing of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable. The method further includes registering customers of the registry as registered users of the registry, and allowing at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry listing for payment of patent annuity fees. In one embodiment, a registry portal allows an external annuity payment service provider to communicate electronically with the registry and tag patent matters on behalf of its clients.

1 . A computer-implemented method of managing patent annuity fee payments, the method comprising using one or more processors to:
 provide a registry of patent matters comprising, at least, a listing of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable;   register customers of the registry as registered users of the registry;   allow at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry listing for payment of patent annuity fees; and   provide a registry portal to allow an external annuity payment service provider to communicate electronically with the registry and tag patent matters on behalf of its clients.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein, for each patent matter represented on the registry listing, and in relation to the respective annuity fees payable, the registry includes data relating only to a due date and amount due of the respective annuity fees payable. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the annuity fee data included in the registry is not rules-based but is drawn directly from corresponding annuity fee data at a national patent office. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the registry of patent matters includes providing a single international registry of patent matters comprising, at least, a listing of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a plurality of national patent offices for which the respective patent annuity fees are payable. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing at least one registered user of the registry or service provider to tag one or more patent matters in the registry listing for payment of annuity fees, includes allowing a user or service provider to perform any one or more of the functions in the following group including:
 tag one patent matter at a time;   upload a listing of patent matters for annuity fee payment; and   search for patent matters in the registry that the user owns, or against which the user is recorded as an assignee.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including allowing registered users or service provider to specify, for tagged patent matters, different annuity payment options selected from a group including:
 always pay;   pay only if instructed to pay; and   pay under certain other circumstances.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including allowing registered users or the service provider to specify, for tagged patent matters, different funding mechanisms selected from a group including:
 PAYPAL or other online payments;   credit card payments;   bank account payments;   back-up payment methods;   application for registry credit; and   prepayment of fees held in escrow by the registry.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including allowing registered users or the service provider to request and obtain forward contract pricing for payment of annuity fees in other currencies. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including allowing registered users or the service provider to request and obtain quotes for currency conversion rates on a real-time basis for annuity payments of tagged patent matters. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including allowing registered users or the service provider to request and obtain from the registry one or more elements in the following group including:
 cost projections for annuity fee payments on tagged patent matters;   analytics information on selected patent matters listed in the registry;   patent matter claim maps for selected patent matters listed in the registry; and   patent matter title verification for selected patent matters listed in the registry.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the registry of patent matters includes securing the registry from unauthorized access by non-registered users or non-authorized service providers or wherein tagging of patent matters by the at least one registered user or service provider is encrypted. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including providing notification to the at least one registered user or service provider in the event one or more of the situations set forth in the following group occurs:
 another user tags a same patent matter;   another user seeks to remove a tag from a tagged patent matter; and   an annuity payment for a tagged patent matter was not made.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including providing for the at least one registered user or service provider a “track me” feature that collects back-up contact information for the at least one registered user and follows the at least one registered user to make sure the user is available to authorize annuity fee payments for tagged patent matters. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing the at least one registered user of the registry or service provider to tag one or more patent matters in the registry includes allowing the at least one registered user or service provider to tag a domestic or international family of patent matters at one time. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further including paying at least one annuity fee due on a tagged patent matter to a national patent office on behalf of a registered user or service provider. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing at least one annuity payment authorization method for a registered user or owner of a patent matter listed in the registry, wherein the method is selected from the following group including:
 providing annuity payment information to a communicating external annuity payment service provider and allowing that provider to secure payment authorization from the registered user or patent matter owner;   allowing the communicating external annuity payment service provider to authorize the registry to draw down on a payment facility established in the name of, or for the benefit of, the registered user or patent matter owner;   seeking authorization from or verifying with the registered user or patent matter owner directly that it is acceptable to draw down on a payment facility established in the name of, or for the benefit of, the registered user or patent matter owner; and   providing payment authorization keys for the registered user, patent matter owner, or the communicating external annuity payment service provider.   
     
     
         17 . A system for managing patent annuity fee payments, the system comprising one or more processors to:
 provide a registry of patent matters comprising, at least, a listing of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable;   register customers of the registry as registered users of the registry;   allow at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry listing for payment of patent annuity fees; and   provide a registry portal to allow an external annuity payment service provider to communicate electronically with the registry and tag patent matters on behalf of its clients.   
     
     
         18 . A system for managing patent annuity fee payments, the system comprising:
 a network;   at least one registry, accessible on the network, the registry including at least one database of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable; and   a server, operatively connected to the network, wherein the server includes:
 a processor, 
 a memory, 
 software operable on the processor to:
 provide a listing of at least some of the patent matters stored in the registry database; 
 register customers of the registry as registered users of the registry; 
 allow at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry database for payment of patent annuity fees; and 
 provide a registry portal to allow an external annuity payment service provider to communicate electronically with the registry and tag patent matters on behalf of its clients.