AcclaimIP HelpRecent Updates

Recent Updates

  • Updated on: Mar 15, 2022

    Importing Custom Data into AcclaimIP

    Data may be imported into AcclaimIP's custom fields in bulk.  For example, you may wish to export some data from your IAM software platform and enter it into AcclaimIP for your searchers to leverage.  

    The most common data imported into AcclaimIP include:

    1. Rating Systems:  Is the patent any good?
    2. Taxonomies:  Where does the patent apply?
    3. Legal Data:  Internal Document Numbers, Litigation Status, Abandonment Dates

    Integrating your internal data into AcclaimIP is a great way to leverage past work with your IP team.

    Administrators can import data to all custom fields in a single import attempt.  However, when you are learning the process, we recommend you start with a single field before you tackle importing 25 fields or more at one time.

    Disclaimer:

    The data used in these examples are entirely made up for demonstration purposes and do not represent any entity's custom data.

  • Updated on: Mar 15, 2022

    Managing Custom Data Fields

    If you have Custom Data Fields feature enabled, and you have the rights to administer custom data fields, you'll see several new options in your Start menu

  • You may be familiar with the FIELD field code to find empty data fields in any normal AcclaimIP patent data field.  The FIELD field code also works for custom fields.

    For example, let's say you define a custom field to categorize patents, and you name it "Technology" and give it a field code _TAX.TECH.  Remember all custom field codes begin with a leading underscore character to prevent user-defined field codes from colliding with AcclaimIP's standard field codes.

    FIELD:isEmpty_TAX.TECH  -->  Finds all patents where the _TAX.TECH custom field contains no data.

    You'll find that you'll use this query quite often when you want to track the progress of some workflow you designed for you and your group.  

    For example, let's say you want to rate and rank your entire portfolio along several dimensions.  You might create custom fields for your rating system, then query the fields for the empty state (or NotEmpty state) to see how many patents are left to rate.

    The inverse is also true:

    FIELD:isNotEmpty_TAX.TECH  -->  Finds all patents with data in the _TAX.TECH custom data field.

  • Just like other data fields, custom fields can be faceted filters.  Remember, a filter lets you refine your search by some data element; the facets are the actual counts within a filter.

    In this example, I created a rating system and tagged about 5000 of Google's patents with rankings.  These data were randomly generated for demonstration purposes and do not represent real opinions on the patents displayed.

    One of the ultimate goals of most patenting organizations is to build a ever-growing knowledgebase that tells users which patents are major inventions, which are incremental improvements and even which are no good at all and slated for abandonment.  The example here uses a simple 4 dimensional rating system including the following criteria.

    • Current Use – Is the invention being used in products today?
    • Detectability – Can use be economically proven in infringing devices?
    • Alternatives – Are there other methods to achieve the same result as the patented invention?
    • Prior Art Risk – What is the likelihood the patent could stand up to extensive prior art search?

    Editorial Opinion:

    This simple system is a good start for your own rating system.  While this is a fairly simple one, simple is often better.  I advise IP managers to develop the simplest possible rating system that will meet your needs.  Overly complex rating systems, while well intentioned and better in theory, virtually always fail due to their complexity.

  • At the document level you can view and/or modify custom data from the Document Details window.  Custom fields appear to the right in an accordion-style panel labeled "Custom Fields."

  • In this current implementation of custom data fields, a known issue is the inability to save documents to a research folder from a query with a custom field field code.

    In other words, if you run a query like _QUAL:Good where _QUAL is a custom data field field code, the documents cannot be directly saved to a research folder.

  • Real patent value comes from value metrics that can only be accurately determined by experts in the field who take the time to read the patents, review the claims, and make judgements to the patent's value.  There are lots of systems for rating patents of varying complexity, but the most basic one, is perhaps the most useful and easiest to implement.  It covers four specific dimensions:

    1. Current Use: Is the patented technology used by current products in high dollar markets?
    2. Alternatives: Are there alternatives that are just a useful and cost about the same (or less) to implement in an infringing device.
    3. Detectability:  How difficult is it to show the patented technology's use in an infringing device?
    4. Prior Art Risk:  Is there known prior art, or on the other extreme, has the patent's validity been tested in court.

    AcclaimIP users use the custom fields feature to build rating systems, design workflows and rate their own patents along these dimensions.  A rating system, along with a home-grown taxonomy, makes you well-prepared to respond to any offensive or defensive opportunity you are presented with.

  • Updated on: Feb 23, 2022

    Quick View of Available Preferences

    In this short article we list the settable options in AcclaimIP. The Preferences window contains a row of tabs where you to set preferences for different part of the application.

    Searching Tab:

    1. Collections: Choose which data sets you want to search by default.
    2. Date Range: Pick the range and date type to search by default. The most common is Last 20 Years and File Date.
    3. Word Stemming: Choose whether or not you want AcclaimIP to include stemmed results. For example if you searched on "Computer" then stemming on would return documents containing "compute," "computing," "computed," etc.

    Look & Feel Tab:

    1. Set Background Color: You can change the color of the blue (by default) desktop by choosing another color from the color picker. If you have a very precise color in mind, you can type in the hexidecimal value for that color (e.g. #2d683a)
    2. Upload Background Image: If you want your own custom wallpaper on the AcclaimIP desktop. Click the Browse Image Library button, then upload your image to the library. Once uploaded, check the "Use Background Image" box.
    3. Themes: There are two color themes to the AcclaimIP application. The default is the light blue. There is also a gray version and an accessibility option for those with low vision.
    4. Printed Reports: In future versions of AcclaimIP, you'll be able to output custom reports with your color scheme, logo and footer text. For now these features are not available.

    Result Grids Tab:

    1. Default Columns: Select which columns you want to appear in your search result by default. You can always add any column on the fly.
    2. Sort Order: For optimal results, we recommend Relevance/Descending as the default sort order. But for certain types of searches you may wish to change the default sort order.
    3. Width and Height: Change default size of the Search Result Window by setting the width in pixels.
    4. Results per Page: Set the number of results you want to see before you have to paginate to see the next set of results.
    5. Auto-Saved Searches: Choose how many recent searches you want AcclaimIP to remember by default.
    6. Clear Searches: Tell AcclaimIP if you want to clear all your searches when you log out.
    7. Set Refinement Panel: The refinement panel contains the default filters on the left side of the Search Result window. Choose whether you want it to open by default. We recommend you set it to Open unless you are using a very small screen.
    8. Keyword Highlighting: Tell AcclaimIP if you want keywords in your searches to be highlighted by default. You can turn on/off highlighting on the fly. Note too: You set Keyword highlighting separately for the Document Details window.

    Doc Details Tab:

    1. Width and Height: Set the default size of the Document Details window in pixels.
    2. No. Recently Viewed: AcclaimIP will remember the last documents you reviewed so you can recall them later if you did not yet save to a Research Folder.
    3. Clear Recently Viewed on Logout: Tell AcclaimIP if you want it to forget what you viewed recently when you logout of the system. This is useful in shared environments such as our library customers.
    4. Open on One Hit: If a search result contains only one result, you have the option to have the software automatically open the Document Details window for that document.
    5. Image Panel: The Image Panel is to the right of the Document Details Window and contains the figures. It is in an accordion style window. Tell AcclaimIP if you want it open or closed by default. We recommend it is opened unless you are using a very small monitor.

    System Tab:

    1. Idle Time Before Logout: Tell AcclaimIP how long to wait before it automatically logs you out.
    2. Cascade Windows: This option automatically opens new windows with a slight offset so you can see the windows behind it. Try experimenting with the option and see which you prefer.

     

  • Updated on: Feb 23, 2022

    Query Syntax Overview

    This chapter contains instructions on how to construct valid queries using AcclaimIP syntax.  For a complete list of query field codes, please view the AcclaimIP Cheat Sheet.

    You can create your own queries through the Expert Search form, the Quick Search window and the My Query form field.  You'll find that the syntax is very easy to learn and use, and as you advance in your patent searching skills, you'll rely on advanced syntax to create powerful nested queries.

    This document explains the syntax you use to interact with the Query Parser in AcclaimIP.