Computer system and computer-implemented method for matching an affected party with sponsors for the purpose of prosecution of legal actions

Abstract

A computer-implemented method comprises:Providing opportunity data about a planned legal action from an affected party to a computer, wherein opportunity data is defined by prosecution resources needed to prosecute the planned legal action, a best possible result in case of success of prosecution and an ask participation quote,Obtaining a plurality of sponsor data items each including a participation offer in a bookbuilding process wherein the participation offers each include a bid participation quote and an amount of sponsoring resources;Selecting one or more participation offers from the obtained participation offers depending on the ask participation quote, the prosecution resources, as well as on the bid participation quotes and the sponsoring resources of each of the plurality of the sponsor data items; andAutomatically matching the sponsor data items associated with the selected one or more participation offers with the opportunity data.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . Computer-implemented method for matching opportunity data defining an offer for participation in a planned legal action and at least one sponsor data item defining a participation offer from a sponsoring party to participate in prosecution of a planned legal action, comprising the steps of:
 Providing opportunity data about the planned legal action from an affected party to a computer, wherein the opportunity data is defined by prosecution resources needed to prosecute the planned legal action, a best possible result in case of success of the prosecution and an ask participation quote,   Obtaining, at the computer, a plurality of sponsor data items each including a participation offer in a bookbuilding process wherein the participation offers each include a bid participation quote and an amount of sponsoring resources;   Using the computer, selecting one or more participation offers from the obtained participation offers depending on the ask participation quote, the prosecution resources, as well as on the bid participation quotes and the sponsoring resources of each of the plurality of the sponsor data items; and   Using the computer to automatically match the sponsor data items associated with the selected one or more participation offers with the opportunity data.   
     
     
         43 . Matching method according to  claim 42 , wherein the obtaining, at the computer, of the plurality of sponsor data items includes obtaining at least one of sponsor data items in view of the previously obtained sponsor data items, wherein particularly only the bid participation quote and the sponsoring resources associated to each existing sponsor data item are indicated or revealed, wherein particularly the identities of the sponsoring parties are not disclosed. 
     
     
         44 . Matching method according to  claim 43 , wherein the participation offers are selected from the obtained participation offers as those which have the lowest bid participation quotes which are equal or lower than the ask participation quote. 
     
     
         45 . Matching method according to  claim 44 , wherein the participation offers are selected from the obtained bid participation offers as those which include associated sponsoring resources which sum up to at least the prosecution resources. 
     
     
         46 . Matching method according to  claim 45 , wherein if more than one of the obtained participation offers of the lowest bid participation quote are selectable only the earliest participation offer is considered so that concurring participation offers will be handled on a first-come, first-served base. 
     
     
         47 . Matching method according to  claim 46 , wherein a bid participation quote of  0  is provided by the sponsoring party indicating no return for participating on the planned legal action is requested. 
     
     
         48 . Matching method according to  claim 47 , wherein the selecting of the participation offers is performed in the computer after the bookbuilding process has been terminated wherein the participation offers are selected so that
 the bid participation quotes associated with the selected participation offers are equal or lower than the ask participation quote, and   the total of the sponsoring resources associated with all of the selected participation offers is equal or higher than the prosecution resources.   
     
     
         49 . Matching method according to  claim 48 , wherein the selecting of the participation offers is performed after the bookbuilding process has been terminated, particularly not before the affected party indicates an end of the method for matching. 
     
     
         50 . Matching method according to  claim 49 , wherein the selecting of the participation offers is performed after a predetermined time period after providing the planned legal action. 
     
     
         51 . Matching method according to  claim 50 , wherein the planned legal action is further defined by a detailed description of facts, best possible result, prosecution resources, and ask participation quote offered by the affected party. 
     
     
         52 . Matching method according to  claim 51 , wherein the best possible result after successfully prosecuting the planned legal action is an amount of resources, such as material, goods or money, the obtaining of an allowance claim or a prohibition claim, a clarification of a fundamental legal issue. 
     
     
         53 . Matching method according to  claim 52 , wherein the prosecution resources include legal costs, attorney costs, costs for expert legal opinions or legal appraisals, any kind of preconditions, and additional costs for an unsuccessful outcome of the planned legal action. 
     
     
         54 . Matching method according to any of the  claim 53 , wherein the prosecution resources, the sponsoring resources and/or the best possible result are converted into a resource unit in the computer, such as a currency or blockchain-based token or a kind of unit which make the different items of prosecution resources, the sponsoring resources and/or the best possible result resources comparable. 
     
     
         55 . Matching method according to  claim 54 , wherein the ask participation quote is increased during the bookbuilding process, particularly in view of the obtained bid participation quotes and associated sponsoring resources of the sponsor data items. 
     
     
         56 . Matching method according to  claim 55 , wherein the bid participation quote of a sponsor data item is decreased during the bookbuilding process, particularly in view of the obtained bid participation quotes and associated sponsoring resources of the obtained other sponsor data items. 
     
     
         57 . Matching method according to  claim 56 , wherein it is queried to confirm the ask participation quote, wherein after confirmation the opportunity data is stored in a blockchain based repository. 
     
     
         58 . Matching method according to  claim 57 , wherein it is queried to accept the participation offer, wherein after confirmation the opportunity data is stored in a blockchain based repository. 
     
     
         59 . Matching method according to  claim 58 , wherein a share of how each of the selected sponsor data item will be associated with the actual result of the opportunity is defined by the portion of the sponsoring resource of each sponsor data with respect to the required prosecution resources. 
     
     
         60 . Matching method according to  claim 59 , wherein the planned legal action defined by the opportunity data is initiated as soon as the opportunity data has been matched with the sponsor data items. 
     
     
         61 . Matching method according to any of the  claim 60 , wherein during the bookbuilding process, a notification is issued that the bookbuilding process will be terminated soon. 
     
     
         62 . Matching method according to  claim 61 , wherein during the bookbuilding process, an interrupt is received, wherein after receipt of the interrupt it is queried for an approval, that the interrupt has been justified, by an authorized user, wherein after receipt of the interrupt and the approval the bookbuilding process is stopped. 
     
     
         63 . A method for resolving the degree of participation of sponsor data items at a planned legal action defined by opportunity data after a termination of prosecution of the planned legal action; wherein an actual result of the prosecution of a planned legal action is distributed/shared depending on a final participation quote, wherein the final participation quote is particularly defined as the highest participation quote of the selected participation offers according to the method of  claim 42 . 
     
     
         64 . Method according to  claim 63 , wherein an upfront share of the actual result is distributed among the sponsor data items while the remaining part of the result is distributed among the affected party and the sponsoring parties according to the final participation quote. 
     
     
         65 . Method according to  claim 64 , wherein after providing opportunity data about the planned legal action, the opportunity data is published on a platform and a Q & A process is initiated, wherein the Q & A process comprises collecting, by the computer, data about questions and/or comments referring to the planned legal action within a given time period after providing the opportunity data, wherein particularly the data about questions and/or comments are anonymized and presented to the affected party, wherein it is queried for answers to the raised questions and/or clarifications to the comments of the opportunity data which will be stored and published together with the opportunity data. 
     
     
         66 . Computer system for matching opportunity data defining an offer for participation in a planned legal action and at least one sponsor data item defining a participation offer to participate in prosecution of a planned legal action, wherein the system is configured to:
 receive opportunity data about the planned legal action from an affected party, wherein the opportunity data is defined by prosecution resources needed to prosecute the planned legal action, a best possible result in case of success of the prosecution and an ask participation quote,   obtain a plurality of sponsor data items each including a participation offer in a bookbuilding process wherein the participation offers each include a bid participation quote and an amount of sponsoring resources;   select one or more participation offers from the obtained participation offers depending on the ask participation quote, the prosecution resources, as well as on the bid participation quotes and the sponsoring resources of each of the plurality of the sponsor data items; and   automatically match the sponsor data items associated with the selected one or more participation offers with the opportunity data.   
     
     
         67 . Computer system according to  claim 66 , wherein the system is configured to obtain at least one of sponsor data items in view of the previously obtained sponsor data items, wherein particularly only the bid participation quote and the sponsoring resources associated to each existing sponsor data item are indicated or revealed. 
     
     
         68 . Computer system according to  claim 67 , wherein the system is configured to provide a query to allow the participation offers to be selected from the obtained participation offers as those which have the lowest bid participation quotes which are equal or lower than the ask participation quote. 
     
     
         69 . Computer system according to  claim 68 , wherein the system is configured to provide a query to allow the participation offers to be selected from the obtained bid participation offers as those which include associated sponsoring resources which sum up to at least the prosecution resources. 
     
     
         70 . Computer system according to  claim 68 , wherein the system is configured to consider only the earliest participation offer if more than one of the obtained participation offers of the lowest bid participation quote are selectable, so that concurring participation offers will be handled on a first-come, first-served base. 
     
     
         71 . Computer system according to any of the  claim 70 , wherein the system is configured to select the participation offers after the bookbuilding process has been terminated wherein the participation offers are selected so that
 the bid participation quotes associated with the selected participation offers are equal or lower than the ask participation quote, and   the total of the sponsoring resources associated with all of the selected participation offers is equal or higher than the prosecution resources.   
     
     
         72 . Computer system according to  claim 70 , wherein the system is configured to select the participation offers after the bookbuilding process has been terminated, particularly not before the affected party indicates an end of the method for matching. 
     
     
         73 . Computer system according to  claim 72 , wherein the system is configured to select the participation offers after a predetermined time period after providing the opportunity. 
     
     
         74 . Computer system according to  claim 73 , wherein the system is configured to convert the prosecution resources, the sponsoring resources and/or the best possible result into a resource unit, such as a currency or blockchain-based token or a kind of unit which make the different items of prosecution resources, the sponsoring resources and/or the best possible result resources comparable. 
     
     
         75 . Computer system according to  claim 74 , wherein the system is configured to increase the ask participation quote during the bookbuilding process, particularly in view of the obtained bid participation quotes and associated sponsoring resources of the sponsor data items. 
     
     
         76 . Computer system according to  claim 75 , wherein the system is configured to decrease the bid participation quote of one of the sponsor data items during the bookbuilding process, particularly in view of the obtained bid participation quotes and associated sponsoring resources of the obtained other sponsor data items. 
     
     
         77 . Computer system according to  claim 76 , wherein the system is configured to issue a notification that the bookbuilding process will be terminated soon. 
     
     
         78 . Computer system according to  claim 77 , wherein the system is configured to receive an interrupt during the bookbuilding process, to query after receipt of the interrupt for an approval, that the interrupt has been justified, by an authorized user, and to stop the bookbuilding process after receipt of the interrupt and the approval. 
     
     
         79 . Computer system according to  claim 78 , wherein the computer system is configured to publish on a platform, after providing opportunity data about the planned legal action, the opportunity data and to initiate a Q & A process, wherein the Q & A process comprises collecting, by the computer, data about questions and/or comments referring to the planned legal action within a given time period after providing the opportunity data, wherein particularly the data about questions and/or comments are anonymized and presented to the affected party, wherein it is queried for answers to the raised questions and/or clarifications to the comments of the opportunity data which will be stored and published together with the opportunity data. 
     
     
         80 . Computer system for resolving the degree of participation of sponsor data items at a planned legal action defined by opportunity data after a termination of prosecution of the planned legal action; wherein the system is configured to distribute/share an actual result of the prosecution of a planned legal action depending on a final participation quote, wherein the final participation quote is particularly defined as the highest participation quote of the selected participation offers according to the method of  claim 42 . 
     
     
         81 . Computer system according to  claim 80 , wherein the system is configured to distribute/share an upfront share of the actual result among the sponsor data items while the remaining part of the result is distributed among the affected party and the sponsoring parties according to the final participation quote. 
     
     
         82 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on a computer a computer-implemented method for matching opportunity data defining an offer for participation in a planned legal action and at least one sponsor data item defining a participation offer from a sponsoring party to participate in prosecution of a planned legal action, wherein the application program performs the steps of:
 Providing opportunity data about the planned legal action from an affected party to a computer, wherein the opportunity data is defined by prosecution resources needed to prosecute the planned legal action, a best possible result in case of success of the prosecution and an ask participation quote,   Obtaining, at the computer, a plurality of sponsor data items each including a participation offer in a bookbuilding process wherein the participation offers each include a bid participation quote and an amount of sponsoring resources;   Using the computer, selecting one or more participation offers from the obtained participation offers depending on the ask participation quote, the prosecution resources, as well as on the bid participation quotes and the sponsoring resources of each of the plurality of the sponsor data items; and   Using the computer to automatically match the sponsor data items associated with the selected one or more participation offers with the opportunity data.