Data processing system and method of collaborative entry of a set of data

1 . A data processing system comprising:

a web portal adapted to receive an initiator's entry of a set of data, the set of data comprising at least one identifier of at least one co-initiator;

means for sending a message to the at least one co-initiator using the respective identifier in response to the entry of the set of data;

a database for storing the set of data, the database being adapted to receive an approval to the set of data from the at least on co-initiator; and

an application program for viewing and/or processing the set of data;

wherein the database is adapted to enable access to the set of data by the application program after the approval has been received by the database from all co-initiators identified in the set of data.

2 . The data processing system of claim 1 , the web portal being adapted to receive a draft of the set of data, the database being adapted to store the draft and status data being indicative of the draft status, the web portal further being adapted to receive completion data for completion of the draft, wherein in response to receipt of the completion data the status data is updated to indicate a completion status, and wherein the means for sending being adapted to send the message only after the status data indicates the completion status.

3 . The data processing system of claim 2 , the initiator having a client computer for coupling to the web portal, the client computer having storage means for storing a file, the client computer being adapted for uploading the file to the web portal.

4 . The data processing system of claim 3 , the database being adapted for storing a pointer to the file as part of the set of data.

5 . The data processing system of claim 4 , the identifier being an email address of the co-initiator.

6 . The data processing system of claim 5 , the message being an email message containing a link for the respective co-initiator's access to the set of data.

7 . The data processing system of claim 6 , the link being a uniform resource locator.

8 . The data processing system of claim 7 , wherein the database is adapted to reset the status data from completion to draft in response to receipt of at least one disapproval from one of the co-initiators.

9 . The data processing system of claim 8 , the database being adapted to update the status data in response to receipt of an approval from all the co-initiators in order to indicate the approval status, the approval status initiating workflow processing by the application program.

10 . The data processing system of claim 9 , the web portal being adapted to generate a printable format of the set of data.

11 . The data processing system of claim 10 , the web portal providing a plurality of data entry fields for the initiator's entry of the set of data, at least a sub-set of the data entry fields having tool tips.

12 . The data processing system of claim 11 , the set of data constituting an invention disclosure.

13 . The data processing system of claim 12 , the application program being a patent administration tool.

14 . The data processing system of claim 13 , the patent administration tool having a workflow processing functionality for processing the set of data.

15 . The data processing system of claim 14 comprising one or more server computers.

16 . The data processing system of claim 15 comprising a plurality of client computers for entry of the set of data.

17 . A method of collaborative entry of a set of data comprising:

receiving a set of data entered by an initiator, the set of data comprising at least one identifier of at least one co-initiator;

sending a message to the at least one co-initiator using the respective identifier in response to the entry of the set of data;

storing the set of data in a database;

receiving an approval to the set of data from the at least on co-initiator; and

enabling access to the set of data by an application program after the approval has been received from all co-initiators identified in the set of data.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising receiving a draft of the set of data, storing status data in the database being indicative of the draft status, entering completion data for completion of the draft, updating the status data to indicate the completion status, wherein the step of sending a message to the at least on co-initiator is performed when the status data indicates the completion status.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising uploading a file to the web portal by the initiator.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising receiving a disapproval from at least one of the co-initiators, and re-setting the status data from completion to draft status in response to the receipt of the at least one disapproval, wherein the set of data is private to the initiator as long as it has the draft status and the set of data is private to the initiator and the co-initiators as long as it has the complete status, and wherein the initiator has read and write access right in the draft status and the initiator and the co-initiators have read only access rights in the complete status.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising generating a printable format of the set of data, printing the printable format, signature of the resultant print-out, and submission of the print-out to an organisational entity.

22 . The method of claim 21 , the organisational entity being an intellectual property department using the application program as a patent administration tool.

23 . A computer program product, in particular a digital storage medium, comprising computer executable instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving an initiator's entry of a set of data, the set of data comprising at least one identifier of at least one co-initiator;

sending a message to the at least on co-initiator using the respective identifier in response to the entry of the set of data;

storing the set of data in a database;

receiving an approval of the at least one co-initiator; and

enabling access to the set of data by an application program after the approval has been received from all the co-initiators identified in the set of data.

24 . The computer program product of claim 23 , the instructions being adapted for entering a draft of the set of data, storing status data in the database being indicative of the draft status, entering completion data for completion of the draft, updating the status data to indicate the completion status, wherein the step of sending a message to the at least on co-initiator is performed when the status data indicates the completion status.

25 . The computer program product of claim 24 , the instructions being adapted for uploading a file to the web portal by the initiator.

26 . The computer program product of claim 23 or 25 , the instructions being adapted for receiving a disapproval from at least one of the co-initiators, and re-setting the status data from completion to draft status in response to the receipt of the at least one disapproval, wherein the set of data is private to the initiator as long as it has the draft status and the set of data is private to the initiator and the co-initiators as long as it has the complete status, and wherein the initiator has read and write access right in the draft status and the initiator and the co-initiators have read only access rights in the complete status.

27 . A client computer comprising a program component for entering a set of data into a web portal by an initiator, the set of data comprising at least one identifier of at least one co-initiator for sending a message to the at least one co-initiator using the respective identifier in response to the entry of the set of data, and for storing the set of data in a database being coupled to the web portal.

28 . A method of collaborative entry of a set of data comprising:

entering a set of data by an initiator, the set of data comprising at least one identifier of at least one co-initiator;

receiving a message by the at least one co-initiator, the message comprising a link to the set of data;

reviewing the set of data by the at least one co-initiator using the link; and

entering an approval to the set of data by the at least on co-initiator in order to enable access to the set of data by an application program after the approval has been received from all co-initiators identified in the set of data.

29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising entering a draft of the set of data and entering completion data for completion of the draft, wherein the step of sending a message to the at least on co-initiator is performed after the entry of the completion data.

30 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising uploading a file by the initiator.

31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising entering a disapproval from at least one of the co-initiators, wherein the set of data is private to the initiator as long as it has a draft status and the set of data is private to the initiator and the co-initiators as long as it has a complete status, and wherein the initiator has read and write access right in the draft status and the initiator and the co-initiators have read only access rights in the complete status.

32 . A business method for capturing intellectual property rights to an invention, the method comprising:

entering an invention disclosure into a web portal by a lead inventor indicating at least one co-inventor;

online review of the invention disclosure by the at least one co-inventor; and

enabling a workflow for the processing of the invention disclosure after entry of an approval of the invention disclosure by all co-inventors indicated by the lead inventor in the invention disclosure.

33 . The business method of claim 32 , the invention disclosure having a draft status, a completion status or an approved status, wherein the draft status is assigned to the invention disclosure after the lead inventor's entry of an invention disclosure draft, the draft status is updated to the completion status after the lead inventors entry of completion data for completion of the draft invention disclosure, the completion status is updated to the approved status after entry of an approval by all the co-inventors, and wherein the completion status is re-set to the draft status if at least one of the co-inventors has entered a disapproval.

34 . The business method of claim 32 or 33 , wherein online access to the invention disclosure by the at least one co-inventor is enabled when the status of the invention disclosure is the completion or approved status.