Patent Law

Searching

By Gary Odom and Jordan Kuhn

In the teeth of recession, how can patent law firms sharpen their competitive edges? According to Andy Gibbs, CEO of PatentCafe.com, interpreting facts as a matter of law does the trick. "The first Eureka moment will come when attorneys realize that the new family of IP software tools does NOT require patent search expertise as much as it requires legal interpretation to convert patent data to high value business information."

Mr. Gibbs touts his tools:

Statistical patent quality can be instantly determined with web-accessible software tools, such as Patent Ratings reports from Ocean Tomo, or Patent Factor Index Reports from PatentCafe.com.

Clearly, the requirement for "expert searcher" will continue for some time, but the functionality of the new generation of tools for statistical patent analysis opens entirely new doors for non-searchers who can deliver higher value results interpretation, and therefore, knowledge.

Sad that Andy's not kidding. Alas, a patent doesn't have "statistical quality," unless you're talking binary. It's valid and enforceable or not. 101, 102, 103, and 112 define the statistical parameters of quality that any patent will ever have. Attorneys may legally interpret 101 and 112, but for 102 and 103, nothing but cold hard facts will do. The only door that any non-searcher needs to open is the Eureka moment in engaging the one who is best at getting the cold hard facts of validity, the ultimate information source of patent quality, be it 101, 102, 103, or 112. Patent Hawk.

[Yes, I'm touting my tools too. Pardon me.]

Full post as published by The Patent Prospector on January 26, 2009 (boomark / email).