System and Method for Enabling Integrated Channels in an IP Marketplace

Abstract

A comprehensive platform for merchandising intellectual property (IP) and conducting IP transactions is disclosed. A standardized data collection method enables IP assets to be characterized, rated and valuated in a consistent manner. Project management, workflow and data security functionality enable consistent, efficient and secure interactions between the IP Marketplace participants throughout the IP transaction process. Business rules, workflows, valuation models and rating methods may be user defined or based upon marketplace, industry or technology standards.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, by an IP marketplace computer-based system, intellectual property (IP) documentation for an IP asset, wherein at least a portion of the IP documentation is in a standardized format based upon a standardized template;   parsing, by the computer-based system, the IP documentation based upon the standardized format to determine IP asset data;   creating, by the computer-based system and based upon the IP asset data, a marketing document for the IP asset;   receiving, by the computer-based system, an approval of the marketing document;   determining, by the computer-based system and based upon the approval, that the IP asset should be available at a public IP marketplace;   determining, by the computer-based system, a standardized valuation for the IP asset based on a standard valuation model for a technology area of the IP asset;   determining, by the computer-based system, a customized valuation for the IP asset for a buyer based on a valuation model of the buyer;   determining, by the computer-based system, a portfolio valuation for an IP portfolio comprising the IP asset, wherein the portfolio valuation is based at least partially upon a strategic significance of obtaining ownership rights to all assets in the IP portfolio;   identifying, by the computer-based system and based upon the approval, a portion of the IP asset data to be made publicly available;   automatically enabling, by the computer-based system and in response to the identifying, a search of the IP asset database for the IP asset; and   responding, by the computer-based system and in response to the enabling, to the search by presenting a subset of the portion of the IP asset data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computer-based system, a unique identifier for the IP asset;   determining, by the computer-based system and based upon the IP asset data, a first category for the IP asset, wherein the marketing document includes the first category;   determining, by the computer-based system and based upon the IP asset data, an industry for the IP asset, wherein the marketing document includes the industry; and   storing, by the computer-based system, the IP asset data and the marketing document in an IP asset database.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer-based system, a modification of the marketing document; and   updating, by the computer-based system, and in response to receiving a second approval based upon the modification, the IP asset data in the IP asset database to indicate the second approval.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending, by the computer-based system, the marketing document to an owner of the IP asset for approval and receiving an approval of the marketing document, wherein the sending the marketing document and the receiving the approval are performed based upon a predefined process. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marketing document comprises at least one of a brochure and an information sheet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marketing document includes a rating of the IP asset. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system and from a user, a search request for available IP assets associated with the first category. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 searching, by the computer-based system, the IP asset database based upon the search request to determine a list of available IP assets; and   providing, by the computer-based system, the list to the user.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the searching the IP asset database comprises searching external data sources, wherein the external data sources comprise at least one of the Internet, proprietary databases, subscription databases and corporate databases. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the list includes at least one of the first category, a subject matter associated with the IP asset, an industry associated with the IP asset or a unique identifier associated with the IP asset. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer-based system, a selection of a selected IP asset from the user, wherein the selected IP asset is included in the list; and   providing, by the computer-based system, additional data associated with the IP asset, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of the marketing document, a rating, a valuation and contact information.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marketing document is in a markup language format, wherein a web page is dynamically created based at least partially upon data in the IP asset database. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system, a request for the customized valuation from the buyer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating, by the computer-based system, the IP asset with another IP asset to create the IP portfolio. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marketing document is based upon the IP portfolio. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 parsing, by the computer-based system, the IP documentation into IP asset data elements;   validating, by the computer-based system, the IP asset data elements; and   providing, by the computer-based system, the IP asset data elements to an IP owner for approval.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the computer-based system, an inquiry from the buyer, wherein the inquiry comprises requested IP asset attributes;   determining, by the computer-based system, a match between the IP asset and the requested IP asset attributes; and   identifying, by the computer-based system, the IP asset to the buyer.   
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 an IP marketplace processor,   a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,   the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:   receiving, by the processor, intellectual property (IP) documentation for an IP asset, wherein at least a portion of the IP documentation is in a standardized format based upon a standardized template;   parsing, by the processor, the IP documentation based upon the standardized format to determine IP asset data;   creating, by the processor and based upon the IP asset data, a marketing document for the IP asset;   receiving, by the processor, an approval of the marketing document;   determining, by the processor and based upon the approval, that the IP asset should be available at a public IP marketplace;   determining, by the processor, a standardized valuation for the IP asset based on a standard valuation model for a technology area of the IP asset;   determining, by the processor, a customized valuation for the IP asset for a buyer based on a valuation model of the buyer;   determining, by the processor, a portfolio valuation for an IP portfolio comprising the IP asset, wherein the portfolio valuation is based at least partially upon a strategic significance of obtaining ownership rights to all assets in the IP portfolio;   identifying, by the processor and based upon the approval, a portion of the IP asset data to be made publicly available;   automatically enabling, by the processor and in response to the identifying, a search of the IP asset database for the IP asset; and   responding, by the processor and in response to the enabling, to the search by presenting a subset of the portion of the IP asset data.   
     
     
         19 . An article of manufacture including a tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by an IP marketplace computer-based system, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by the computer-based system, intellectual property (IP) documentation for an IP asset, wherein at least a portion of the IP documentation is in a standardized format based upon a standardized template;   parsing, by the computer-based system, the IP documentation based upon the standardized format to determine IP asset data;   creating, by the computer-based system and based upon the IP asset data, a marketing document for the IP asset;   receiving, by the computer-based system, an approval of the marketing document;   determining, by the computer-based system and based upon the approval, that the IP asset should be available at a public IP marketplace;   determining, by the computer-based system, a standardized valuation for the IP asset based on a standard valuation model for a technology area of the IP asset;   determining, by the computer-based system, a customized valuation for the IP asset for a buyer based on a valuation model of the buyer;   determining, by the computer-based system, a portfolio valuation for an IP portfolio comprising the IP asset, wherein the portfolio valuation is based at least partially upon a strategic significance of obtaining ownership rights to all assets in the IP portfolio;   identifying by the computer-based system and based upon the approval, a portion of the IP asset data to be made publicly available;   automatically enabling, by the computer-based system and in response to the identifying, a search of the IP asset database for the IP asset; and   responding, by the computer-based system and in response to the enabling, to the search by presenting a subset of the portion of the IP asset data.