Method and system for gathering information resident on global computer networks

Abstract

A method and system for confidentially accessing and reporting information present on global computer networks. The present invention deterministically analyzes a set of network resources over a configurable monitoring period, thereby guaranteeing that recently published information is retrieved. The present invention includes a scalable software system that can be readily executed on a stand-alone computing system or distributed across a network of computing devices. At the end of each monitoring period, the present invention balances the traversal and searching of network resources across the computing devices in the distributed system according to the previous number of pages retrieved for each network resources, thereby more accurately balancing the system. Furthermore, in order to reduce system resource requirements, the present invention searches only those network resources that are targeted either individually or as a industry. In addition, the present invention further conserves computing resources by not searching documents or files that have already matched search criteria and have remained unchanged.

1 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . A system comprising: 
 a first computing system configured to execute a search tool that collects content from network resources, searches the collected content according to a set of search items, and stores the content upon occurrence of a match between a search item and the content; and    a second computing system configured to execute intellectual property management software that presents information regarding intellectual property of an organization, the intellectual property management software being configured to communicate occurrence of the organization acquiring a new intellectual property asset to the first computing system;    wherein the search tool is further configured to create at least one search item based at least partially upon the communication from the second computing system.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first computer system comprises a plurality of computing devices configured to cooperate with one another to implement the search tool.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein communication between the first and second computing systems is encrypted.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the intellectual property management software is further configured to docket dates related to intellectual property assets.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the intellectual property management software is further configured to store and retrieve agreements related to intellectual property of the organization.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the agreements include confidential disclosure agreements.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the search tool generates a report for the organization, based at least in part upon the collected content that matches the search items created for the organization.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the report is communicated to the organization via electronic communication.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the electronic communication comprises electronic mail.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the report includes hyperlinks pointing to network documents containing the content that matches the search items.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the report includes the content that matches the search items.  
   
   
       26 . A method comprising: 
 collecting content from network resources;    searching the collected content according to a set of search items;    storing the content upon occurrence of a match between a search item and the content;    receiving a communication indicating the occurrence of an organization acquiring a new intellectual property asset; and    creating at least one search item, based at least partially upon the communication.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the communication is encrypted.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising generating a report for the organization, based at least upon the collected content that matches the at least one search item created for the organization.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising communicating the report to the organization.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the report includes hyperlinks pointing to network documents containing the content that matches the search items.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the report includes the content that matches the search items.  
   
   
       32 . A method comprising: 
 presenting information regarding intellectual property of an organization;    determining that the organization has acquired a new intellectual property asset;    communicating the determination to a remote computing system that runs a search tool; and    receiving a search report from the remote computing system, the search report containing information concerning the new intellectual property asset of the organization.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the communication to the remote computing system is encrypted.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising docketing dates related to the intellectual property of the organization.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising storing and retrieving agreements related to the intellectual property of the organization.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the agreements include confidential disclosure agreements.