Author: claimsbot

We claim:

1. A multi-layer film, suitable for construction into a bag to contain substances including liquids that adversely affect one or more layers of said film, comprising:
a continuous layer of water-soluble material suitable for forming an outer layer of the bag and having sufficient thickness and strength to provide sufficient structural strength for use as the bag to contain the liquid;
a discontinuous barrier coating suitable for forming an inner layer of the bag and affixed to discrete areas of said continuous layer, said barrier coating lacking sufficient structural integrity to contain the contents of the bag once the continuous layer is dissolved, said barrier coating being less reactive than said continuous layer with the substance to be packaged, the discontinuity of the discontinuous barrier coating defining a plurality of uncoated areas of said continuous layer occurring at a repeating distance on said continuous layer, said uncoated intervals defining seal-forming areas for construction of the bag for forming a seal in said bag.
2. The film of claim 1 further comprising indicia means for permitting identification of the locations of said uncoated intervals.
3. The film of claim 2 wherein said indicia means comprises a visually detectable mark disposed at repeating distances on one of said layers corresponding to the repeating distances of said uncoated intervals.
4. The film of claim 1 wherein said continuous layer comprises multiple layers of water-soluble film.
5. The film of claim 1 wherein said film has transverse and longitudinal directions and said uncoated intervals occur at a repeating distance in transverse locations across said continuous layer and along at least one longitudinal edge of said continuous layer.
6. The film of claim 1 wherein said continuous water-soluble layer has a thickness relative to said barrier coating of about 500:1 to about 2:1.
7. The film of claim 6 wherein the thickness of said continuous water-soluble layer is in the range of between about 12 microns and about 200 microns.
8. The film of claim 1 wherein said barrier coating has a thickness in the range of between about 0.025 microns and about 25 microns.
9. The film of claim 1 wherein said barrier coating comprises a polymeric material that does not dissolve in water at temperatures above 5 C.
10. The film of claim 9 wherein said barrier coating is a film of cellulose derivatives, in which the degree of substitution is sufficient to prevent solubility above 5 C., selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate lactate, cellulose lactate, methylhydroxybutyl cellulose, hydrophobically modified cellulose derivatives and combinations thereof.
11. The film of claim 1 wherein said barrier coating does not dissolve in water at temperatures below 50 C.
12. The film of claim 11 wherein said barrier coating is polyvinyl alcohol.
13. The film of claim 11 wherein said barrier coating is about 0.25 microns to about 15 microns thick.
14. The film of claim 1 wherein when the film is made into a bag containing a liquid and the outer layer dissolves when the bag is placed in an aqueous medium, the inner barrier layer remaining after dissolution of the outer layer disintegrates in water.
15. The film of claim 1 wherein the barrier layer is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid polymers, acrylic ester polymers, soluble acrylic acid copolymers, soluble acrylic ester copolymers, soluble copolymers of acrylic acids and esters, crosslinked polyvinyl alcohols, crosslinked cellulose derivatives, ethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate butyrate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinylidene chloride, natural and synthetic waxes, polyurethanes and modified polyvinyl alcohols.
16. The film of claim 2 wherein said continuous, water-soluble layer is a compound selected from the group consisting of methylcellulose, methylhydroxyethyl cellulose, methylhydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, cellulose, cellulose monoacetate, hydrophobically modified cellulose derivatives, sodium polyacrylate, polylactic acid, lactic acid ethers, polyvinyl alcohol esters, cellulose esters, carrageenan, pectin, combinations of the above and combinations thereof with starches.
17. The film of claim 1 wherein said continuous layer comprises polyvinyl alcohol.
18. A multi-layer film, suitable for construction into a bag to contain substances that adversely affect one or more layers of said film, comprising:
a continuous layer of water-soluble material suitable for forming an outer layer of the bag and having sufficient thickness and strength to provide sufficient structural strength for use as a bag to contain the liquid; and
a discontinuous barrier coating suitable for forming an inner layer of the bag and intermittently applied to discrete areas of said continuous layer, said barrier coating defining a plurality of uncoated intervals in the continuous layer for forming sealing areas in the bag,
said barrier coating lacking sufficient structural integrity to contain the contents of the bag once the continuous layer is dissolved, said barrier coating being less reactive than said continuous layer with the substance to be packaged.
19. The film of claim 18 wherein said uncoated intervals occur along at least one longitudinal edge of said continuous layer and at repeating transverse locations where the bag will have an angular shape.
20. A method of making a water-soluble film, suitable for construction into a bag to contain substances that adversely affect said water-soluble film, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a web of cold water-soluble film to form a continuous layer, said continuous layer having sufficient thickness and strength to provide sufficient structural strength for use as a bag to contain liquid; and
(b) intermittently applying a layer of barrier coating onto discrete areas of said continuous layer to form a barrier coating and so as to leave a plurality of uncoated areas at repeating intervals on said continuous layer, said barrier coating being less susceptible than said continuous layer to interaction with the substance to be packaged, said barrier coating lacking sufficient structural integrity to contain the liquid in a bag once the water-soluble film layer is dissolved.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the applying step comprises roll-coating said layer of barrier film onto discrete areas of said outer layer.
22. The method of claims 20 or 21 further comprising the step of placing a registration mark on one of said layers for subsequently forming a seal on the bag.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the roll-coating step is accomplished by a direct flexogravure coating process.
24. A method of packaging a substance that chemically or physically reacts with a water-soluble film, comprising:
forming a water-soluble package from a multi-layered film comprising a continuous layer of water-soluble film and a barrier coating adhered to discrete areas of said continuous layer, said continuous layer comprising a plurality of discrete, uncoated areas and having a sufficient thickness and strength to provide sufficient structural strength for use as a package to contain the substance; said continuous layer forming the outer layer of the package and said barrier coating forming the interior of the package; said inner barrier coating being less reactive than said outer layer with the substance to be packaged; said inner barrier layer being dispersible or dissolvable in water when said outer layer is dissolved;
adding a desired amount of substance into the package; and
sealing together the film along at least one uncoated interval to form the sealed package so that the inner barrier layer prevents the packaged substance from contacting the outer water-soluble layer.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the sealing step is accomplished by a means selected from the group consisting of heat, solution, adhesive, ultrasound, or electrical impulses.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein said sealing step comprises sealing horizontal and vertical film areas of the bag having no barrier coating, such that said horizontal and vertical seals are effective in precluding exposure of said uncoated intervals of said outer layer to the product being packaged, and wherein said vertical seals are formed by sealing said uncoated intervals to said outer coating on the side opposite said barrier layer.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the sealing step is performed by sealing means operating on at least one of said film areas and also on an adjacent film area having the barrier coating.
28. A sealed water-soluble bag for containing a chemical composition that substantially deleteriously affects cold water-soluble film, comprising:
an outer, continuous layer of the cold water-soluble film having sufficient thickness and strength to provide structural strength for use as a bag to contain a liquid, and
an inner barrier coating affixed to a portion of the continuous layer and forming the inside of the bag and at least one uncoated area, said barrier coating lacking sufficient structural integrity to contain the contents of the bag once the outer continuous layer is dissolved, said barrier coating being less reactive than said continuous layer with the chemical composition contained therein, said barrier coating preventing or minimizing contact of said continuous layer with the contents of the bag, at least a portion of the uncoated area forming the seal of the bag.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for transmitting personal health information from a databank to a health facility comprising the steps of:
a. storing a person’s health information in a databank, wherein said storing comprises the steps of:
i. entering an individual’s health information into said databank in a private file wherein said individual enters hisher own health information via a website,
ii. coding said private file with a unique identifying number;
iii. providing said individual with a barcode corresponding to said unique identifying number;

b. scanning said barcode with a scanner, wherein said scanning step comprises the steps of:
i. using a scanner to scan said barcode;
ii. transmitting to said databank said barcode and a unique reference number associated with said scanner;
iii. matching said barcode with said unique identifying number at said databank;
iv. authenticating said unique reference number as an authorized user at said databank;
v. transmitting said individual’s health information to said scanner or other health facility;

c. updating said health information with new form print-out by said individual comprising the steps of:
i. viewing onscreen said information entered onto said website;
ii. printing said information as a form print-out;
iii. printing a facsimile cover sheet with a unique confirmation number;
iv. electronically assigning said unique confirmation number to a blank file in said private file;
v. faxing to a provided fax number said form print-out and said facsimile cover sheet;
vi. scanning into said database said form print-out and said facsimile cover sheet;
vii. associating said confirmation number on said facsimile cover sheet with said confirmation number in said private file;
viii. electronically placing said scanned print-out in said blank file in said private file and locking said blank file in said private file so said information will not be transmitted to a health facility until said blank file is unlocked;
ix. notifying said individual that said blank file in said private file is locked and awaiting approval;
x. unlocking said blank file after said individual has viewed contents of said blank file over said website and approved said contents.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said form print-out includes a signature line for said individual’s signature.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said unique identifying number is generated by a computer algorithm.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said unique confirmation number is generated by a computer algorithm.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said scanner is a cellular telephone and said unique reference number is a telephone number associated with said cellular telephone.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said health facility is selected from the group consisting of a hospital, an ambulance or other emergency vehicle, a doctor’s office, an emergency room, a nursing home, a convalescence home, an infirmary, a hospice or other health care facility.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said barcode is constructed from at least one of the standardized barcode symbology libraries consisting of the group of UPC-A, UPC-E, ISBN, RSS-14, RSS-14E, RSS-14L, Interleaved 2 of 5, BANJAN-8, EANJAN-13, Code 3, Code 39 Full ASCII, Code 128, PdF417, QR Code, and Data Matrix.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said health information consists of at least one selected from the group consisting of medical history, surgical history, recent labtest results, imaging studies, blood type, immunization history, medical device information, family history, social history, allergies, DNRs, genetic information, power(s) of attorney, living will, next-of-kin contact information, current medications, current supplements, current vitamins, drug tests, name and contact information for current physicians, choices of hospital, digital photograph, and advanced directive(s).
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said scanner is a PDAcellular telephone and said unique reference number is a telephone number associated with said PDAcellular telephone; a MAC address or an IMB physical address cell.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of accessing said health information in said databank with a computer, said computer being authenticated by matching Internet Protocol (IP) address of said computer with a list of authorized IP addresses.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically contacting pre-approved list of contact people, said list being provided by said individual, when said unique reference number of said authorized user is authenticated.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said contacting is performed automatically by a uniquely created message, said message based upon details of situation and being vocalized using a voice synthesis engine with phone dialing capabilities.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein said contact people consists of at least one selected from the group of said individual’s family members, said individual’s friends, said individual’s next of kin.
14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending automated email to remind said individual to update said personal health information.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said individual or said individual’s health care provider can scan documents, including test results, over Hyper Text Transport Protocol Secure (https) directly into said databank.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said individual or said individual’s attorney can scan documents, including advance directives, over Hyper Text Transport Protocol Secure (https) directly into said databank.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein said unique confirmation number, said unique reference number, andor said unique identifying number are generated by a computer algorithm, said computer algorithm comprising the steps of:
a. randomly selecting thirty-two letters and Arabic numerals to create a succession;
b. generating QUID and adding it to said succession to create an array;
c. shifting said array bit-by-bit several times;
d. adding a hex number to said array to create a string;
e. adding a string to a second string to create a double string;
f. using the first twelve symbols of said double string as said unique confirmation number, said unique reference number, andor said unique identifying number.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein said personal health information can be stored in a portable device accessible by authorized personnel.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein a password is set by said individual to protect said personal health information that is stored on said portable device.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein said personal health information stored on said portable device is updated by connecting said device to the internet and downloading updates from said database.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein said device is one selected from the group consisting of a USB flash memory device, a memory card, and a credit card type device.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein said authorized personnel can access said stored personal health information via one selected from the group consisting of a desktop or laptop computer, an electronic personal organizer, and a cellular phone.
23. The method of claim 18 wherein said portable device is stored in one selected from the group consisting of a keychain, a wristband and a bracelet.
24. A method for transmitting personal health information from a databank to a health facility comprising the steps of:
a. storing a person’s health information in a databank, wherein said storing comprises the steps of:
i. entering an individual’s health information into said databank in a private file wherein said individual enters hisher own health information via a website,
ii. coding said private file with a unique identifying number;
iii. providing said individual with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) corresponding to said unique identifying number;

b. scanning said RFID with a scanner, wherein said scanning step comprises the steps of:
i. using a scanner to scan said RFID;
ii. transmitting to said databank said RFID and a unique reference number associated with said scanner;
iii. matching said RFID with said unique identifying number at said databank;
iv. authenticating said unique reference number as an authorized user at said databank;
v. transmitting said individual’s health information to said scanner or other health facility;

c. updating said health information with new form print-out by said individual comprising the steps of:
i. viewing onscreen said information entered onto said website;
ii. printing said information as a form print-out;
iii. printing a facsimile cover sheet with a unique confirmation number;
iv. electronically assigning said unique confirmation number to a blank file in said private file;
v. faxing to a provided fax number said form print-out and said facsimile cover sheet;
vi. scanning into said database said form print-out and said facsimile cover sheet;
vii. associating said confirmation number on said facsimile cover sheet with said confirmation number in said private file;
viii. electronically placing said scanned print-out in said blank file in said private file and locking said blank file in said private file so said information will not be transmitted to a health facility until said blank file is unlocked;
ix. notifying said individual that said blank file in said private file is locked and awaiting approval;
x. unlocking said blank file after said individual has viewed contents of said blank file over said website and approved said contents.

1. A method of color trapping page objects in an image forming apparatus comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a page object in a page description at an image forming controller, the page description defining the page object as either edge lists or a bitmap;
b) performing a first trapping technique when the page description defines the page object as the edge lists; and
c) performing a second trapping technique when the page description defines the page object as the bitmap.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the page object is selected from the group consisting of a rectangle, character, and non-rectangular shape.
3. A method of color trapping within an image forming apparatus comprising:
a) receiving a request comprising a page object that is executable by a image forming controller;
b) identifying a category of the page object as being one of a character, rectangle, and non-rectangular shape;
c) determining that trapping is necessary for the page object; and
d) performing trapping according to the category of the page object,
wherein the step of identifying the category of the page object comprises identifying the character by a bitmap.
4. A method of color trapping page objects during a rasterization process comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a page object at an image forming controller;
b) categorizing the page object into one of a first category or a second category;
c) when the page object is categorized into the first category, performing color trapping using edge lists of the page object; and
d) when the page object is categorized into the second category, performing color trapping using a bitmap of the page object.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second category comprises characters selected from the group consisting of alphanumeric figures, symbols, and punctuation marks.
6. A method of performing color trapping of a character comprising:
a) obtaining a bitmap of a character;
b) producing a modified bitmap of the character;
c) selecting either the bitmap or the modified bitmap as the foreground representation; and
d) selecting the other of the bitmap or the modified bitmap as the background representation.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of producing the modified bitmap of the character comprises the step of eroding the bitmap by removing at least one pixel from the bitmap.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of eroding the bitmap comprises shifting the bitmap by at least one pixel, and performing a bitwise AND operation between the bitmap and a shifted bitmap to remove at least one pixel not contained in an overlap between the bitmap and the shifted bitmap.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein an eroded bitmap is selected as the background representation of the character.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of producing a modified bitmap of the character comprises spreading the bitmap to add at least one pixel to the bitmap.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of spreading the bitmap comprises shifting the bitmap by at least one pixel and performing a bitwise OR operation between the bitmap and the shifted bitmap to add the at least one pixel not contained in an overlap between the bitmap and the shifted bitmap.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein a spread bitmap is selected as a foreground representation of the character.
13. A method of performing color trapping of a character comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a bitmap representation of a character;
b) producing a first modified bitmap representation of the character;
c) producing a second modified bitmap representation of the character;
d) selecting one of the first and second modified bitmap representations of the character as a foreground representation; and
e) selecting the other of the first and second modified bitmap representations of the character as a background representation.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein producing either the first or second modified bitmap representations of the character comprises eroding the bitmap representation to remove at least one pixel from the bitmap representation.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein producing either the first or second modified bitmap representations of the character comprises spreading the bitmap representation to add at least one pixel to the bitmap representation.
16. A method of performing color trapping of a rectangle comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a height and a width of a rectangle;
b) producing a modified height and a modified width of the rectangle;
c) selecting one of the height and the width or the modified height and the modified width as a foreground representation; and
d) selecting the other of the height and the width or the modified height and modified width as a background representation.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of producing the modified height and modified width of the rectangle comprises decreasing at least one of the height and the width resulting in rectangular dimensions that are smaller than the rectangle.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the modified height and the modified width are selected as the background representation.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of producing the modified height and the modified width comprises increasing at least one of the height and the width resulting in increased rectangular dimensions that are larger than the rectangle.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the increased rectangular dimensions are selected as the foreground representation of the character.
21. A method of performing color trapping of a rectangle comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a height and a width of a rectangle;
b) producing a first dimension of the rectangle comprising a first modified height and a first modified width;
c) producing a second dimension of the rectangle comprising a second modified height and a second modified width of the rectangle;
d) selecting one of the first dimension and the second dimension as a foreground representation of the rectangle; and
e) selecting the other of the first dimension and the second dimensions as a background representation of the rectangle.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein producing either the first dimension or the second dimension of the rectangle comprises choking an overall size of the rectangle by shrinking at least one of the height and the width.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein producing either the first dimension or the second dimension of the rectangle comprises spreading an overall size of the rectangle by expanding at least one of the height and the width.
24. A method of performing color trapping of a non-rectangular shape comprising:
a) obtaining edge lists representing a non-rectangular shape;
b) producing modified edge lists representing the non-rectangular shape;
c) selecting either the edge lists or the modified edge lists as the foreground representation; and
d) selecting the other of the edge lists or the modified edge lists as the background representation.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the edge lists comprises an array of first coordinates and an array of second coordinates, the step of producing the modified edge lists comprises altering at least one of the array of first coordinates or the array of second coordinates.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the edge lists define a region and the step of producing the modified edge lists comprises reducing the region.
27. The method of claim 24 wherein the edge lists comprises an array of first coordinates and an array of corresponding second coordinates spaced apart by a given distance, the step of producing the modified edge lists comprises decreasing the given distance between the array of first coordinates and the array of second coordinates.
28. The method of claim 27, further comprising removing a predetermined number of corresponding members from each of the first array and the second array.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the modified edge lists are selected as the background representation of the character.
30. The method of claim 24, wherein the edge lists comprises an array of first coordinates and an array of corresponding second coordinates spaced apart by a given distance, the step of producing the modified edge lists comprises increasing the given distance between the array of first coordinates and the array of second coordinates.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising adding a predetermined number of the first and second coordinates to each of the first array and the second array.
32. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of producing the modified edge lists comprises dividing the non-rectangular shape into a plurality of subsections and obtaining subsection edge lists for each of the plurality of subsections.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the edge lists for each of the plurality of subsections are increased in an area and accumulated to form a foreground representation of the character.
34. The method of claim 32, wherein the edge lists for each of the plurality of subsections are decreased in an area and accumulated to form a background representation of the character.
35. The method of claim 32, wherein the non-rectangular shape is divided into at least one rectangle and a remaining number of non-rectangular subsections.
36. The method of claim 24, wherein the edge lists define a region and the step of producing the modified edge lists comprises expanding the region.
37. The method of claim 24, wherein the modified edge lists are selected as the background representation of the character.
38. A method of performing color trapping of a non-rectangular shape comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining edge lists representing a non-rectangular shape;
b) producing first modified edge lists representing the non-rectangular shape;
c) producing second modified edge lists representing the non-rectangular shape;
d) selecting one of the first and second modified edge lists of the non-rectangular shape as a foreground representation; and
e) selecting the other of the first and second modified edge lists of the non-rectangular shape as a background representation.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein producing either the first or second modified edge lists of the non-rectangular shape comprises decreasing the non-rectangular shape.
40. The method of claim 38, wherein producing either the first or second modified edge lists of the non-rectangular shape comprises increasing the non-rectangular shape.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A computer-implemented method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search for locating intellectual property information, wherein the intellectual property information includes at least one information field containing accessible information, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) selecting a source grouping containing documents having intellectual property information;
(b) determining, responsive to the selecting, elements in the documents in the source grouping, including analyzing at least one intellectual property information field of the documents to identify the elements in the information field; and providing the elements as search information corresponding to the source grouping; and
(c) providing, responsive to determining step (b), at least a portion of the elements in the search information as a field-of-search for automatic use as search criteria.
2. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the source grouping includes documents logically grouped together in a folder for storage in a memory unit.
3. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the source grouping includes select documents identified by input signals received from a user.
4. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the source grouping includes selected documents commonly classified in a system maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
5. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 4, wherein the source grouping containing selected documents identified by a search specification in the form of at least one class and subclass in a system maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the classification of U.S. patents.
6. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining step (b) further comprises the step of retrieving information representative of the documents in the source grouping for storage in a local memory.
7. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining step (b) further comprises the step of:
accessing the documents in the source grouping to be analyzed.
8. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining step (b) further comprises the step of determining a frequency of appearance of the elements contained in the at least one information field of the documents.
9. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 8, wherein said providing step (c) further comprises the step of automatically adding to the field-of-search elements having at least a predetermined frequency of appearance in the source grouping.
10. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the grouping selected in said selecting step (a) is a collection of intellectual property information associated with a common classification category.
11. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 10, wherein the documents include patent publications stored in accordance with a classification system that utilizes a plurality of classes, subclasses, and enumerated digests to categorize relevancy of the patent publications.
12. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 11, wherein the patent publications contain fields, including publication number, publication date, title of publication, field of search, and classification number fields.
13. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 12, wherein the search information provided in said step (b) includes identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the field-of-search field in the patent publications.
14. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 12, wherein the search information provided in said step (b) includes identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the classification number field.
15. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the source grouping selected in said step (a) is a collection of documents resulting from an intellectual property search.
16. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 1, wherein the intellectual property grouping selected in said step (a) is a collection of documents stored on a remote database system accessible over at least one communication network.
17. In a search system for use in searching for intellectual property information, the improvement comprising at least one computer readable medium having stored thereon an executable program operative to effectuate searching for intellectual property information in connection with the search system, wherein the executable program is executed to perform the steps of:
(a) selecting a source grouping containing documents having intellectual property information;
(b) determining, responsive to the selecting, elements in the documents in the source grouping, including analyzing at least one intellectual property information field of the documents to identify the elements in the information field; and providing the elements as search information corresponding to the source grouping; and
(c) providing, responsive to said determining step (b), at least a portion of the elements in the search information as a field-of-search for automatic use as search criteria.
18. The search system of claim 17, wherein the source grouping includes documents grouped together in a portfolio.
19. The search system of claim 17, wherein the source grouping includes documents identified by input signals received from a user.
20. The search system of claim 17, wherein said selecting step comprises the step of receiving selection information from a remote user identifying select intellectual property information for inclusion in the source grouping, wherein the selection information identifies at least one classification in a classification system maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
21. The search system of claim 17, wherein said determining step further comprises the steps of:
accessing from a remote database over a network the documents in the source grouping to be analyzed.
22. The search system of claim 17, wherein said determining step further comprises the step of determining a frequency of appearance of the elements contained in the at least one information field of the documents.
23. The search system of claim 22, wherein said providing step further comprises the step of automatically adding elements, having at least a predetermined frequency of appearance in the source grouping, to the field-of-search.
24. A search system for use with an intellectual property classification system, the search system comprising:
an intellectual property database, wherein said intellectual property database stores documents having information related to intellectual property classified in accordance with the classification system; and
a search server comprising:
a search engine module, wherein said search engine module accesses said database and retrieves information representative of documents corresponding to input classification selections; and
a field-of-search module, wherein said field-of-search module processes the retrieved information to determine elements responsive to the retrieved information, wherein the elements are contained in the at least one information field of the retrieved information, including analyzing at least one intellectual property information field of the documents to identify the elements in the information field, and said-field-of search module provides, responsive to said analyzing, at least a portion of the elements as a field-of-search for automatic use as search criteria.
25. The search system as recited in claim 24, wherein the documents include patent publications stored in said database in accordance with a patent classification system that utilizes a plurality of classes, subclasses, and enumerated digests to categorize relevancy of the patent publications.
26. The search system as recited in claim 25, wherein the patent publications contain information fields, including a plurality of publication number, publication date, title of publication, field of search, international classification number, U.S. classification number, and references cited, background, summary, detailed description, and claims fields.
27. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the elements determined by said field-of-search module include identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the field-of-search information field.
28. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the elements determined by said field-of-search module include identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the U.S. classification information field.
29. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the elements determined by said field-of-search module include identification of classes and subclasses appearing in the references cited field.
30. The search system as recited in claim 26, wherein the elements determined by said field-of-search module include words, phrases, and concepts appearing in the detailed description information field; and
wherein said field-of-search module accesses a classification database containing a classification index, a classification, manual, and classification definitions, determines classes and subclasses related to the elements, and includes the related classes and subclasses in the field-of-search.
31. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a list of the elements.
32. The method of claim 1, wherein the elements include at least one of: words, textual phrases, concepts, representations, numbers, identifications, pictures, graphics, and features.
33. A computer-implemented method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search for locating intellectual property information, wherein the intellectual property information includes at least one information field containing accessible information, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) selecting a source grouping containing documents having intellectual property information;
(b) determining elements in the documents in the source grouping, including analyzing at least one intellectual property information field of the documents to identify the elements in the information field; and providing the elements as search information corresponding to the source grouping; and
(c) providing, responsive to determining step (b), at least a portion of the elements in the search information as a field-of-search for later use as search criteria,
wherein said determining step (b) further comprises the step of determining a frequency of appearance of the elements contained in the at least one information field of the documents.
34. The method of determining an intellectual property field-of-search as recited in claim 33, wherein said providing step (c) further comprises the step of automatically adding to the field-of-search elements having at least a predetermined frequency of appearance in the source grouping.
35. In a search system for use in searching for intellectual property information, the improvement comprising at least one computer readable medium having stored thereon an executable program operative to effectuate searching for intellectual property information in connection with the search system, wherein the executable program is executed to perform the steps of:
(a) selecting a source grouping containing documents having intellectual property information;
(b) determining elements in the documents in the source grouping, including analyzing at least one intellectual property information field of the documents to identify the elements in the information field; and providing the elements as search information corresponding to the source grouping; and
(c) providing, responsive to said determining step (b), at least a portion of the elements in the search information as a field-of-search for later use as search criteria,
wherein said determining step further comprises the step of determining a frequency of appearance of the elements contained in the at least one information field of the documents.
36. The search system of claim 35, wherein said providing step further comprises the step of automatically adding elements, having at least a predetermined frequency of appearance in the source grouping, to the field-of-search.