Method and apparatus for finding web hits for patents

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and apparatus for finding web hits for a patent of interest. In an example method embodiment, data identifying a patent of interest is received, and at least one forward or reverse citation of the patent of interest is identified. An inventor or an owner of the at least one forward or reverse citation is identified, and a website associated with the identified inventor or owner is monitored. A watch notice is generated in response to a detection of the addition of new material to the monitored website.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of finding web hits for a patent of interest, the method comprising using at least one processor to:
 receive data identifying a patent of interest;   identify at least one forward or reverse citation of the patent of interest;   identify an inventor or an owner of the at least one forward or reverse citation;   monitor a website associated with the identified inventor or owner; and   generate a watch notice in response to a detection of the addition of new material to the monitored website.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the website associated with the identified inventor or owner includes identifying one or more websites to be monitored. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data identifying the patent of interest is received from a user; and
 wherein the method further comprises sending the generated watch notice to the user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assessing the relevance of the new material to at least one claim of the patent of interest. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the relevance is assessed based at least on a keyword match in the new material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the keyword is contained in the at least one claim of the patent of interest. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising receiving data identifying the keyword. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the relevance is assessed based at least on a subject matter class or sub-class concordance of the new material. 
     
     
         9 . A system for finding web hits for a patent of interest, the system comprising at least one hardware-implemented module including at least one processor to:
 receive data identifying a patent of interest;   identify at least one forward or reverse citation of the patent of interest;   identify an inventor or an owner of the at least one forward or reverse citation;   monitor a website associated with the identified inventor or owner; and   generate a watch notice in response to a detection of the addition of new material to the monitored website.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein monitoring the website associated with the identified inventor or owner by the at least one processor includes an identification by the at least one processor of one or more websites to be monitored. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the data identifying the patent of interest is received from a user; and
 wherein the at least one processor is further to send the generated watch notice to the user.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further to assess the relevance of the new material to at least one claim of the patent of interest. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the relevance is assessed based at least on a keyword match in the new material. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the keyword is contained in the at least one claim of the patent of interest. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further to receive data identifying the keyword. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the relevance is assessed based at least on a subject matter class or sub-class concordance of the new material. 
     
     
         17 . A system for finding web hits for a patent of interest, the system comprising:
 a network;   at least one database, accessible on the network, the database including data relating to patents and forward or reverse citations of the patents;   a server, operatively connected to the network, wherein the server includes:
 a processor, 
 a memory, 
 software operable on the processor to:
 receive data identifying a patent of interest in the database; 
 identify at least one forward or reverse citation of the patent of interest; 
 identify an inventor or an owner of the at least one forward or reverse citation of the patent of interest; 
 monitor a website associated with the identified inventor or owner; and 
 generate a watch notice in response to a detection of the addition of new material to the monitored website.