Patent ID: 6363361
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
A computerized method for managing patent and trademark fees comprising:inputting identification information for a matter of a client of a firm and a requested fee associated with the matter for payment to an agency as data representing the identification information into a computer system, wherein the agency comprises a patent or patent and trademark agency; issuing a charge for the requested fee at the computer workstation for transferral to the agency, the charge payable against an account maintained at least in part by an organization separate from the firm; transferring electronically data representing first information regarding the charge for the requested fee to a computer system accessible by the organization; and, reconciling electronically the data representing the first information regarding the charge with data representing second information from an external source regarding the charge; generating data representing a fee invoice including the charge and electronically transmitting the data representing the fee invoice to an accounting computer system maintained by the firm; generating a client invoice including the fee invoice at the accounting computer system for delivery to the client; and, generating a firm invoice including the charge for delivery to the firm, wherein the client invoice corresponds to the firm invoice such that payment by the client to the firm for the client invoice provides funds for payment by the firm to the organization for the firm invoice.