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."

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.

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.

 

The custom fields feature is available to customers who have purchased the add-on module.  This article and others in this chapter are targeted for Custom Field administrators who have access privileges to add, edit, delete and assignee access rights to custom fields.  Users of custom fields should refer to the chapter called "Using Custom Fields" in this help guide.

Custom fields allows you to add your own custom data inside of AcclaimIP and search, filter, sort, facet, import and export the data as if it were part of our normal patent data set.  There is no performance impact when integrating your custom data with global patent data.  

Additionally, if you license our API, you can update custom field data automatically from your AIM or Annuities Management application among other capabilities.  To use the AcclaimIP API you must have an additional license, and you will need programmers to implement features on your end.  API documentation is stored in a separate system.

Patents can be imported into AcclaimIP from data sent to you in spreadsheets or text files such as emails and word processing documents.  You import patents to a research folder which can be shared with other users in your workgroup (company) or with external AcclaimIP users from other organizations.