Abstract:
A system and website for delivering services via the internet, including a server, a database including a plurality of data records corresponding to one or more clients, software executing on the server for generating and displaying reports of at least a portion of the data records to a client via the website, software executing on the server for displaying at least one input field via the website for receiving a comment pertaining to a first one of the data records, software executing on the server for storing a comment received via the input field, software executing on the server for displaying the comment via the website, and software executing on the server for managing access to the data records and comments, wherein viewing access to the comment via the website to is restricted to a first group of users and editing of the comment is restricted to a second group of users.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a website, and more specifically to a system and website with user commenting and comment management features. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various websites exist for providing services to consumers over the internet, such as websites for providing professional services. For example, Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,078 describes a system for delivering professional services over the internet. The &#39;078 patent describes a system and website which permits clients direct access to a docket database used to automate providing of professional services, and that automatically composes and sends a confirmation of the service performed to the client. Communications between the professional and the client may take place over the Internet, and the system can act on authorizations received from the client to perform or prepare documents necessary to perform desired professional services. 
         [0003]    The invention of the &#39;078 patent improves the speed, efficiency, and reliability of performing professional services for clients. However, as more and more of such services are being rendered over the internet, additional means of improving the provision of services online. Further desired are improved means to keep track of the services provided and to communicate information about the services within client companies. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and website with commenting features for annotating report entries with client comments and notes, and communicating and memorializing information within a client organization. 
         [0005]    It is also desired to provide a website, such as a professional services website, with commenting features to permit users and service providers to directly annotate report entries with annotations or comments submitted via the website. 
         [0006]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a website with commenting features which permit a user to enter a comment stored in one data record and selectively choose to have the same comment displayed in all members of a family of data records. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a system with the ability to restrict user&#39;s rights to edit and view comments, such as the ability to only edit/delete one&#39;s own comments but not others. Users can also selectively choose whether to publish comments or restrict display access to the creator or a subset of users. 
         [0007]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a website with commenting features which is associated with a database management system. Comments entered via the website may be automatically stored and/or displayed in associated matters in the document management system. 
         [0008]    These and other objectives are achieved by providing a system and website for delivering services via the internet, including a server, a database including a plurality of data records corresponding to one or more clients, software executing on the server for generating and displaying reports of at least a portion of the data records to a client via the website, software executing on the server for displaying at least one input field via the website for receiving a comment pertaining to a first one of the data records, software executing on the server for storing a comment received via the input field, software executing on the server for displaying the comment via the website, and software executing on the server for managing access to the data records and comments, wherein viewing access to the comment via the website to is restricted to a first group of users and editing of the comment is restricted to a second group of users. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, the first group of users consists of each a plurality of users at the client associated with the first one of the data records, and the second group of users consists of a single user who entered the comment in the input field. 
         [0010]    Other objects of the present invention are achieved by provision of a method for receiving and displaying comments via a website, including the steps of generating, via software executing on a server, a report of at least a portion of a plurality of data records stored in a database, displaying, via software executing on the server, the report to a first user, displaying an input field for receiving comments pertaining to at least one of the data records listed in the report, receiving a first comment via the input field pertaining to a first one of the data records, storing the first comment received via the input field; displaying the first comment via the website, wherein the first comment is viewable by the first user and each of a plurality of second users associated with the same client, wherein the comment is editable by only the client user. 
         [0011]    Other objects of the invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings and accompanying detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  illustrates a user interface generated by the system. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  shows a method for receiving and managing user comments via a website according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]      FIG. 1A  shows an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the present invention. The system includes a system server  20  including server hardware comprising at least one of a computer and one or more processors. The system server  20  includes one or more software modules (e.g.,  22 ,  24 ) for displaying, publishing, and/or managing data on a website. The system server  20  further includes one or more databases  50  (e.g., embodied in at least one of a hard disk drive, flash memory drive, and/or storage array). The system server  20  is accessible via a communications network  30 , such as the Internet, by a plurality of client computers  10 . In particular, clients can submit notes and/or comments  12  to the system server  20 , e.g., via the website, and receive confirmations  14 . 
         [0025]    The system further includes at least one service provider computer  40 . In some embodiments, the system server  20  and the service provider computer  40  are one in the same and/or co-located. The service provider computer  40  can submit notes and/or comments  42  to the system server  20  and receive confirmations  44 . The confirmations  44  may include confirmations of client submitted comments, or comments submitted by a service administrator via the service provider computer  40 . Communications between the service provider computer  40  and the system server  20  may be via the website or via a backend interface. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1B  shows another view of the system according to the present invention. The system server  20  includes one or more software modules  22  for displaying, publishing, and/or managing data on the website. In some embodiments, the system also includes a database management system (“DBMS”) module  24 . The DBMS  24  may be embodied in software executing on the system server  20  and/or the processor in the system server  20 . In the exemplary embodiment, the DBMS  24  stores and manages storage of information about various matters serviced by the service provider. For example, the service provider may manage intellectual property (“IP”) portfolios (e.g., including patents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, etc.) for a plurality of clients and pay periodic annuities and/or taxes for the various intellectual property assets. Clients may create and view custom reports of their IP portfolios and submit instructions to pay annuities and/or taxes via the website. 
         [0027]    Each of the matters, in this example IP assets or family of assets, may have a matter profile stored in the database  50  by the DBMS  24 . Comments  54  received concerning any of the IP assets may be stored in the database  50  and associated with the relevant matters by the DBMS  24 . The DBMS  24  may also set and/or store appointments associated with matters. The comments and appointments are accessible in the DBMS  24  by service administrators via the service provider computer  40 . The database  50  further includes permission data  54  associated with each client and/or each client user. The permission data  54  is received by the website software  22  (e.g., either directly or through the DBMS  24 ) from the database  50  and used by the website software  22  to determine which users have access to each of the particular client matters and comments. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary webpage and/or user interface  200  provided by the system server  20 . This webpage, and other webpages illustrated herein, are directed to a website for managing IP portfolios. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is applicable to many other types of websites. In  FIG. 2 , a Portfolio Reporting webpage  200  is shown in which a client can generate customized reports of IP by owner and IP or report type. The client logs in (e.g., with a user ID and password) and is presented with a report including a list of all client companies and/or owners associated with his/her user ID. The client can selectively choose one or more of the owners  202  (e.g., by owner name or owner code) and/or a report type  204  (e.g., Patents only, Trademarks only, Combo Patents/Trademarks, Payment receipts &amp; certificates) to generate a report  206 . 
         [0029]    A webpage  300  showing the output from the report generation is shown in  FIG. 3 . The report can be viewed on the webpage  300  and can also be exported in various formats, such as Excel or PDF, for storage on the client computer  10 . Each of the displays generated by the system further includes a print button to print the display. While viewing the various IP holdings on the webpage  300 , a client may select one or more of the IP holdings and choose to submit a comment or note. The comments or notes can be associated with one or more of the IP holdings. IP holdings which already have at least one comment or note are identified with a note indicia  302 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows a display  400  generated by the system with a pop up window  402 . The window  402  is presented in response to a user clicking on or checking a box associated with the first one of the IP holdings shown in  FIG. 3 . The window  402  provides information about the particular IP holding and permits the entry of a comment or note. In the present example, the client submits a note indicating that the particular trademark should be maintained in the United States. 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a display  500  generated by the system with a confirmation window  502  indicating that the note has been entered on a given date. The confirmation window  502  permits the client to edit the note (e.g., via an edit button  504 ), or direct the system to apply the note to all members of the family. By clicking on a radio button or check box  506  in the confirmation window  502 , the same note is applied to related trademarks in the same family. In one exemplary embodiment, the note is stored in the DBMS  24  in the first matter in which the note is entered, but is displayed in all of the family members associated with the matter via the website. In other embodiments, the note is separately stored in each of the family member matters.  FIG. 6  illustrates another display  600  generated by the system with a confirmation window  602  indicating that the note has been applied to a family of trademarks. 
         [0032]    The notes allow for client representatives to save annotations or reminders to oneself and/or the client company, e.g., regarding future actions to be taken with respect to particular matters (e.g., maintain, abandon, etc.), the status of the IP holding (e.g., pending, rejected, allowed, on appeal, etc.), the general subject matter of IP holding, ownership or assignment intentions, the litigation status of particular IP holdings, or any other note of comment desired by the client. Such notes are then viewable by other employees or representatives of the same client company upon logging in and generating a report including a matter in which a comment has been applied. The system is particularly useful for large companies with significant IP portfolios where employees in different offices around the world may be logging in to check statuses. In particular, the system enables inter-client communications about various matters via a website. 
         [0033]    Once a comment or note is entered, the system may provide restrictions on future editing and viewing. In particular, the system server  20  may include a software module (e.g.,  22 ,  24 ) for managing permissions using the permission data  54 . In some embodiments, a note may only be edited or deleted by the particular user who creates the note (e.g., as identified by the log-in user ID). For example, a particular client may have several users authorized to log in to and access the website. While each client user may be permitted to view information about the IP holdings of the client, access may be restricted with regards to editing notes. As noted above, the system may only permit the particular client representative who created the note to edit or delete the note. In some embodiments, one or more client representatives with higher level access (e.g., administrator access) may also be permitted to edit or delete the note. 
         [0034]    In one exemplary embodiment, permissions are managed by storing permission data  54  associated with each client user (e.g., based on log-in ID) and/or each client company. By managing the permissions, the communications can remain confidential with the client company and even within a subset of users at the client company. In some embodiments, the comments are only viewable by the client users and not by service administrators. 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  shows another display  700  generated by the system with a confirmation window  702  indicating that another note has been entered on a given date. In this example, the note has been entered by a different user with access to the same matter. For example, this may one of many individuals at the same client company with a separate log-in ID. As shown, the user who subsequently accesses the matter can view the previous comments  704 , but cannot edit them. However, the confirmation window  702  permits the client to edit the note which he/she entered (e.g., via an edit button  704 ), or direct the system to apply the same note to all members of the family. By clicking on a radio button or check box  710  in the confirmation window  702 , the note is applied to related trademarks in the same family. 
         [0036]      FIG. 8  shows another webpage  800  including a report generated by the system. In this exemplary embodiment, a report of patent matters is shown. The report includes information about each patent including an owner, a title, a matter code, jurisdiction or country, serial number, etc. Additional information, such as a summary or abstract, may be viewed by clicking on one of the patents in the list. While viewing the various IP holdings, a client may select one or more of the IP holdings and choose to submit a comment or note. The comments or notes can be associated with one or more of the IP holdings. IP holdings which already have at least one comment or note associated with it are identified with a note indicia  802 . The note indicia  802  appears in reports generated by those who have access to the particular IP holding and permission to view the comment. 
         [0037]      FIG. 9  shows a display  900  generated by the system with a pop up window  902 . The window  902  is presented in response to a user clicking on or checking a box associated with the first one of the IP holdings shown in  FIG. 8 . The window  902  provides information about the IP holding and permits the entry of a comment or note. In the present example, the client submits a test note associated with a United States patent. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 10-12  illustrate displays associated with the DBMS  24 . Comments entered by users via the website are stored in a notes portion or database of the DBMS  24 .  FIG. 10  shows a user interface  1000  with a note window  1002 . The note window  1002  shows the name or ID number of the author or creator. In this example, the note was created by an author with the initials “ND” and a client log-in code “ 22 .” The comment may be designated in the DBMS  24  with a type, such as “matter” or “published.” In this embodiment, matter type notes are viewable via the DBMS  24  only and are not published via the website. Notes designated as “published” are displayed via the website to users with the requisite permissions to view the particular matters to which the note applies. 
         [0039]      FIG. 11  illustrates another window  1004  with information about the matter to which the note relates. In the exemplary embodiment, the system only lists the primary matter in which the note was originally entered and not any family members to which the note was also applied to. However, the note appears with all of the family members on the website. 
         [0040]      FIG. 12  shows a method for receiving and managing user comments via a website. The method includes receiving a comment or note via the website and/or website software ( 1201 ). The comment is confirmed, e.g., via a confirmation window ( 1203 ). If the client chooses to associate the comment with related matters, the comment is associated with related matters and confirmed ( 1205 - 1207 ). The comment is also stored in the DBMS  24  and/or associated databases  50  ( 1209 ). The comment is then displayed to subsequent users who access the website and have permission to view the comment ( 1211 ). 
         [0041]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.