Automated docketing system
View Patent ↗The present invention includes a method for docketing an action or event, such as an action or event defined in a form received from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The method includes scanning the form having written information thereon, the written information comprising a date and indicia defining a docket event, to obtain a scanned image. The indicia on the form defining a docketing event includes a title such as, “Office Action,” “Notice of Allowance,” “Notice of Missing Parts” and so forth. The date on the form includes, in many embodiments, “Date Mailed.” The method also includes processing the scanned image with character recognition logic and identifying the indicia defining the docket event or action and the date on the image.
1. A method for docketing and reporting out an action, comprising:
providing an electronic image reporting an event, wherein the electronic image includes date indicia and indicia defining the event;
providing a mechanism effective for recognizing the indicia defining the event and the date indicia on the image;
identifying the date and indicia defining the event using the mechanism for recognizing the date and indicia;
providing a first docketing system including a first docketing software that includes a library of events, at least one event being defined in the image, and docket rules for the events, the docketing software further comprising a field for date input associated with the event and fields for event identification;
automatically transferring the indicia identified in the image to the first docketing software and automatically matching the indicia identified and transferred to corresponding event and date fields in the first docketing software;
entering the event indicia into the event field of the first docketing software and the date identified into the field for date input associated with the event wherein entering the, date and event indicia prompts the software to generate one or more docket dates of the first docketing system based upon rules associated with the event; and
reporting the event and electronic image to a second docketing system including a second docketing software and recording the event and generating, with the second docketing system, at least one docket date of the second docketing system, the at least one docket date of the second docketing system associated with the due date.
2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising reporting the event to pre-selected individuals.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the individuals are pre-selected by individual or by role.
4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising creating and storing a scanned image.
5. The method of claim 4 and further comprising storing the image in a file associated with a legal process.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the event is related to patent procurement or maintenance.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the event is related to trademark procurement or maintenance.
8. A system for docketing and reporting out an action, the action identifiable by indicia that are part of an electronic image conveying information regarding the action, comprising:
a device for generating an electronic image from a form;
a mechanism effective for recognizing the event and date indicia on the form;
a first computer including a first docketing software comprising an array of events, at least one event defined by the form, the docketing software further comprising a field for date input associated with an event;
software for matching and transferring the date and event indicia identified to a corresponding event in the docketing software and for reporting out the electronic image and docketing the event; and
a second computer including a second docketing software other than the first docketing software, the second docketing computer to receive and record the electronic image and to record the event and to generate at least one docket date based on the date and event indicia.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the device for creating the electronic image conveying information is a scanner.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein the mechanism effective for recognizing the indicia on the form includes optical character recognition software.
11. The system of claim 8 , further comprising reporting the event and electronic image to preselected individuals with the first computer and docketing at least one due date with the second computer at substantially the same time.
12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a third computer to receive the electronic image and the date and event indicia and to transfer the electronic image and the date and event indicia to transfer media.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first docketing computer and the second docketing computer are in electrical communication to communicate over the world wide web.
14. A system for docketing and reporting out an action, the action identifiable by indicia that are part of an electronic image conveying information regarding the action, comprising:
a scanner for generating an electronic image from a form;
character recognition software effective for analyzing the image and for recognizing date and event indicia of the form;
a first docketing computer comprising a first docketing software for recording the recognized event indicia and for docketing the recognized date indicia; and
reporting software for reporting out the date and event indicia and the electronic image from the first docketing computer to an individual user and to further report the date and event indicia to a second docketing computer comprising a second docketing software other than the first docketing software, the second docketing software for recording the event indicia and for docketing the date indicia.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first docketing software comprises a first array of events, at least one event defined by the form,
the first docketing computer includes comparison software for matching the date and event indicia identified by the first docketing software to a corresponding event in the first docketing software and for docketing a due date based on the comparison,
the second docketing software comprises a second array of events, at least one event defined by the form, and
the second docketing software includes a second comparison software for matching the date and event indicia identified by the first docketing software to a corresponding event in the second docketing software and for docketing a due date based on the comparison.
16. The system of claim 14 wherein the mechanism effective for recognizing the indicia on the form includes optical character recognition software.
17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising reporting out the electronic image and docketing at least one due date occurs at substantially at the same time.
18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first docketing computer and the second docketing computer are in electrical communication to communicate over the world wide web.
19. The system of claim 14 , further comprising reporting the event and electronic image to preselected individuals and docketing the event in the second computer at substantially the same time.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting the event and electronic image to a second docketing system including a second docketing software and recording the event and generating at least one docket date associated with the due date in the second docketing system occurs at substantially the same time.