Patent analysis applications and corresponding user interface features

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for patent analysis applications. A computing device may be directed to parse an electronic version of a patent document having a detailed description, a claims section, and at least one drawing. In various embodiments, parsing the electronic version of the patent document may include applying an OCR process to the electronic document, obtaining a list of claim terms used in the claims section, identifying instances of the claim terms used in the detailed description, identifying a reference numeral corresponding to the claim terms from the detailed description, and identifying portions of the drawing that includes the reference numeral. In response to user interaction with a claim term, a dialog may be shown proximate to the claim term, where the dialog includes a portion of the detailed description that includes the claim term and/or the drawing that comprises the reference numeral corresponding to the claim term.

Therefore, the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computing device comprising at least one hardware processor; and   program instructions executable in the at least one computing device that, when executed, direct the at least one computing device to:
 identify a reference numeral in at least one drawing of a patent document comprising the at least one drawing, a claims section, and a detailed description; and 
 identify portions of the detailed description or the claims section that comprises the reference numeral; 
 generate at least one user interface that comprises a textual reproduction of at least a portion of the patent document; 
 identify a user interaction with the reference numeral in the portion of the at least one drawing as shown in the at least one user interface; and 
 in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral, cause at least a portion of the detailed description or claims that corresponds to the reference numeral to be presented proximate to the reference numeral. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed, further direct the at least one computing device to at least emphasize the reference numeral in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the reference numeral is emphasized by applying highlighting of the at least one reference numeral, adjusting a color of the at least one reference numeral, or applying a different background color to the at least one reference numeral. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed, further direct the at least one computing device to at least emphasize at least one occurrence of the reference numeral in the at least a portion of the detailed description or claims that corresponds to the at least one reference numeral. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed, further direct the at least one computing device to at least emphasize at least one other occurrence of the reference numeral in another portion of the detailed description or claims. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed, further direct the at least one computing device to at least emphasize at least one instance of a claim term corresponding to the reference numeral in the at least a portion of the detailed description or claims in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interaction comprises: a hover-over event being performed in association with the claim term or a selection event being performed in association with the claim term. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 identifying a reference numeral in at least one drawing of a patent document comprising the at least one drawing, a claims section, and a detailed description; and   identifying portions of the detailed description or the claims section that comprises the reference numeral;   generating at least one user interface that comprises a textual reproduction of at least a portion of the patent document;   identifying a user interaction with the reference numeral in the portion of the at least one drawing as shown in the at least one user interface; and   in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral, causing at least a portion of the detailed description or claims that corresponds to the reference numeral to be presented proximate to the reference numeral.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , further comprising emphasizing the reference numeral in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one reference numeral is emphasized by applying highlighting of the reference numeral, adjusting a color of the reference numeral, or applying a different background color to the reference numeral. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , further comprising emphasizing at least one occurrence of the reference numeral in the at least a portion of the detailed description or claims that corresponds to the at least one reference numeral. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , further comprising emphasizing at least one other occurrence of the reference numeral in another portion of the detailed description or claims. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , further comprising emphasizing at least one instance of a claim term corresponding to the reference numeral in the at least a portion of the detailed description or claims in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the user interaction comprises: a hover-over event being performed in association with the claim term or a selection event being performed in association with the claim term. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to at least:
 identify a reference numeral in at least one drawing of a patent document comprising the at least one drawing, a claims section, and a detailed description; and   identify portions of the detailed description or the claims section that comprises the reference numeral;   generate at least one user interface that comprises a textual reproduction of at least a portion of the patent document;   identify a user interaction with the reference numeral in the portion of the at least one drawing as shown in the at least one user interface; and   in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral, cause at least a portion of the detailed description or claims that corresponds to the reference numeral to be presented proximate to the reference numeral.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising emphasizing the reference numeral in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one reference numeral is emphasized by applying highlighting of the at least one reference numeral, adjusting a color of the reference numeral, or applying a different background color to the at least one reference numeral. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising emphasizing at least one occurrence of the reference numeral in the at least a portion of the detailed description or claims that corresponds to the at least one reference numeral. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising emphasizing at least one other occurrence of the reference numeral in another portion of the detailed description or claims. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising emphasizing at least one instance of a claim term corresponding to the reference numeral in the at least a portion of the detailed description or claims in response to the user interaction with the reference numeral.