PATENT-RELATED TOOLS AND METHODOLOGY FOR USE IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

摘要

The present invention is related to patent-related tools, and methodologies involving those tools, for assisting in all stages of research and development (R & D) projects. IPAM server may be used in conjunction with the tools and methodology to aid in R & D projects. The IPAM server can also be used as a support tool for independent inventors. These tools or methods include, but are not limited to, a topographic map, a top company table, a top inventor table, an inventors by company table, a features grouping, a technology classification, a Standard Industrial Codes (SIC) classification, a patent count per year chart, a patent count per year chart, an application count per year chart, a technology by company map, a patent citation tree, a nested patent citation tree, a product/patent/revenue table, a patent/months to issue chart, and a document/annotation chart.