System, method, and computer program product for developing and maintaining documents which includes analyzing a patent application with regards to the specification and claims

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, wherein said document is a patent application, said first portion is a specification of said patent application, and said second portion is a claims section of said patent application.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4, wherein said document is a patent application, said first portion is a specification of said patent application, and said second portion is a claims section of said patent application, and wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: retrieving information pertaining to a term from said merged index table; indicating in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said specification; and indicating in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said claims section.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4, wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: enabling the user to select a term in said hit matrix; displaying text from said document containing an occurrence of said selected term in said document; enabling the user to select a next or previous occurrence of said selected term in said document; and displaying text from said document containing said selected next or previous occurrence of said selected term in said document.

Claim 9

The method of claim 4, wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: enabling the user to select a term in said hit matrix; displaying in a first window text from said first portion containing an occurrence of said selected term; and displaying in a second window text from said second portion containing an occurrence of said selected term.

Claim 10

The method of claim 4, wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: (g) enabling the user to select text from the document; (h) displaying said selected text in a first window and a second window; and (i) enabling the user to edit said selected text in said second window.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8, wherein step (4) further comprises the step of: (j) incrementally indexing said document.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9, wherein step (j) comprises the steps of: (I) selecting a word from said second window; (II) determining the number of occurrences of said selected word in said first window, and the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window; (III) if the number of occurrences of said selected word in said first window is not equal to the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window, then updating an index using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window; and (IV) performing steps (I)-(III) for each word in said second window.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10, wherein step (III) comprises the steps of: determining whether said selected word is in a delta index table; if said selected word is in said delta index, then updating a count of said selected word in said delta index table using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window; if said selected word is not in said delta index table, then determining if said selected word is in said merged index table; if said selected word is in said merged index table, then updating a count of said selected word in said merged index table using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window; and if said selected word is not in said merged index table, then adding said selected word to said delta index table.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: merging said merged index table with said delta index table to form a new merged index table.

Claim 15

The method of claim 4, wherein said document is a patent application, said first portion is a specification of said patent application, and said second portion is a claims section of said patent application, and wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: (g) sorting terms in said patent application to generate a sorted list; (h) calculating the number of occurrences of each reference number in said patent application by reference to said sorted list; (i) determining an element name for each reference number; and (j) storing, for each reference number, the number of hits for said each reference number and an element name for said each reference number in an element index table.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13, wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: (k) indicating in an element hit matrix, based on information in said element index table, the number of occurrences of a reference number in the specification; and (l) indicating in said element hit matrix, based on information in said element index table, an element name for said reference number.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13, wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: (k) enabling the user to select a reference number in an element hit matrix; (l) displaying text from said patent application containing an occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application; (m) enabling the user to select a next or previous occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application; and (n) displaying text from said patent application containing said selected next or previous occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application.

Claim 18

The method of claim 13, wherein step (4) further comprises the steps of: (k) enabling the user to select a reference number in an element hit matrix; (l) enabling the user to select text from said patent application; and (m) storing in said element index table said selected text as a new element name for said selected reference number.

Claim 21

The system of claim 17, wherein said document is a patent application, said first portion is a specification of said patent application, and said second portion is a claims section of said patent application, and wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for retrieving information pertaining to a term from said merged index table; means for indicating in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said specification; and means for indicating in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said claims section.

Claim 22

The system of claim 17, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the user to select a term in said hit matrix; means for displaying text from said document containing an occurrence of said selected term in said document; means for enabling the user to select a next or previous occurrence of said selected term in said document; and means for displaying text from said document containing said selected next or previous occurrence of said selected term in said document.

Claim 23

The system of claim 17, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the user to select a term in said hit matrix; means for displaying in a first window text from said first portion containing an occurrence of said selected term; and means for displaying in a second window text from said second portion containing an occurrence of said selected term.

Claim 24

The system of claim 17, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the user to select text from the document; means for displaying said selected text in a first window and a second window; and means for enabling the user to edit said selected text in said second window.

Claim 25

The system of claim 21, wherein said enabling means further comprises: incremental indexing means for incrementally indexing said document.

Claim 26

The system of claim 22, wherein said incremental indexing means comprises: means for selecting a word from said second window; means for determining the number of occurrences of said selected word in said first window, and the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window; and index updating means for updating an index using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window if the number of occurrences of said selected word in said first window is not equal to the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window.

Claim 27

The system of claim 23, wherein said index updating means comprises: means for determining whether said selected word is in a delta index table; means for updating a count of said selected word in said delta index table using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window if said selected word is in said delta index; means for determining if said selected word is in said merged index table if said selected word is not in said delta index table; means for updating a count of said selected word in said merged index table using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window if said selected word is in said merged index table; and means for adding said selected word to said delta index table if said selected word is not in said merged index table.

Claim 28

The system of claim 24, further comprising: means for merging said merged index table with said delta index table to form a new merged index table.

Claim 29

The system of claim 17, wherein said document is a patent application, said first portion is a specification of said patent application, and said second portion is a claims section of said patent application, and wherein said enabling means comprises: means for sorting terms in said patent application to generate a sorted list; means for calculating the number of occurrences of each reference number in said patent application by reference to said sorted list; means for determining an element name for each reference number; and means for storing, for each reference number, the number of hits for said each reference number and an element name for said each reference number in an element index table.

Claim 30

The system of claim 26, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for indicating in an element hit matrix, based on information in said element index table, the number of occurrences of a reference number in the specification; and means for indicating in said element hit matrix, based on information in said element index table, an element name for said reference number.

Claim 31

The system of claim 26, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the user to select a reference number in an element hit matrix; means for displaying text from said patent application containing an occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application; means for enabling the user to select a next or previous occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application; and means for displaying text from said patent application containing said selected next or previous occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application.

Claim 32

The system of claim 26, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the user to select a reference number in an element hit matrix; means for enabling the user to select text from said patent application; and means for storing in said element index table said selected text as a new element name for said selected reference number.

Claim 33

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to develop and maintain documents, said computer program logic comprising: means for enabling the processor to display a document; means for enabling the processor to enable a user to select a first portion and a second portion of said document; means for enabling the processor to index, after receiving an appropriate command from the user, said first portion and said second portion to generate a merged index table, said merged index table storing data representing the number of occurrences of each term in said first portion and said second portion; and enabling means for enabling the processor to enable the user to develop and maintain said first and second portions by reference to said merged index table; wherein said enabling means comprises: means for enabling the processor to retrieve information pertaining to a term from said merged index table; means for enabling the processor to indicate in a hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said first portion; means for enabling the processor to indicate in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said second portion; means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a zero hits option; means for enabling the processor to select a next term in said hit matrix having one or more occurrences in said second portion but no occurrences in said first portion when the user selects said zero hits option; and means for enabling the processor to display text from said document containing an occurrence of said selected next term in said document.

Claim 34

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to develop and maintain documents, said computer program logic comprising: means for enabling the processor to display a document; means for enabling the processor to enable a user to select a first portion and a second portion of said document; means for enabling the processor to index, after receiving an appropriate command from the user, said first portion and said second portion to generate a merged index table, said merged index table storing data representing the number of occurrences of each term in said first portion and said second portion; and enabling means for enabling the processor to enable the user to develop and maintain said first and second portions by reference to said merged index table; wherein said enabling means comprises: means for enabling the processor to retrieve information pertaining to a term from said merged index table; means for enabling the processor to indicate in a hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said first portion; means for enabling the processor to indicate in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said second portion; means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a zero hits option; means for enabling the processor to select a next term in said hit matrix having one or more occurrences in said second portion but no occurrences in said first portion when the user selects said zero hits option; and means for enabling the processor to display text from said document containing an occurrence of said selected next term in said document.

Claim 35

The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said document is a patent application, said first portion is a specification of said patent application, and said second portion is a claims section of said patent application, and wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to retrieve information pertaining to a term from said merged index table; means for enabling the processor to indicate in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said specification; and means for enabling the processor to indicate in said hit matrix, based on said retrieved information, whether said term appears in said claims section.

Claim 36

The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a term in said hit matrix; means for enabling the processor to display text from said document containing an occurrence of said selected term in said document; means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a next or previous occurrence of said selected term in said document; and means for enabling the processor to display text from said document containing said selected next or previous occurrence of said selected term in said document.

Claim 37

The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a term in said hit matrix; means for enabling the processor to display in a first window text from said first portion containing an occurrence of said selected term; and means for enabling the processor to display in a second window text from said second portion containing an occurrence of said selected term.

Claim 38

The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select text from the document; means for enabling the processor to display said selected text in a first window and a second window; and means for enabling the processor to enable the user to edit said selected text in said second window.

Claim 39

The computer program product of claim 34, wherein said enabling means further comprises: incremental indexing means for enabling the processor to incrementally index said document.

Claim 40

The computer program product of claim 35, wherein said incremental indexing means comprises: means for enabling the processor to select a word from said second window; means for enabling the processor to determine the number of occurrences of said selected word in said first window, and the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window; and index updating means for enabling the processor to update an index using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window if the number of occurrences of said selected word in said first window is not equal to the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window.

Claim 41

The computer program product of claim 36, wherein said index updating means comprises: means for enabling the processor to determine whether said selected word is in a delta index table; means for enabling the processor to update a count of said selected word in said delta index table using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window if said selected word is in said delta index; means for enabling the processor to determine if said selected word is in said merged index table if said selected word is not in said delta index table; means for enabling the processor to update a count of said selected word in said merged index table using the number of occurrences of said selected word in said second window if said selected word is in said merged index table; and means for enabling the processor to add said selected word to said delta index table if said selected word is not in said merged index table.

Claim 42

The computer program product of claim 37, further comprising: means for enabling the processor to merge said merged index table with said delta index table to form a new merged index table.

Claim 43

The computer program product of claim 30, wherein said document is a patent application, said first portion is a specification of said patent application, and said second portion is a claims section of said patent application, and wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to sort terms in said patent application to generate a sorted list; means for enabling the processor to calculate the number of occurrences of each reference number in said patent application by reference to said sorted list; means for enabling the processor to determine an element name for each reference number; and means for enabling the processor to store, for each reference number, the number of hits for said each reference number and an element name for said each reference number in an element index table.

Claim 44

The computer program product of claim 39, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to indicate in an element hit matrix, based on information in said element index table, the number of occurrences of a reference number in the specification; and means for enabling the processor to indicate in said element hit matrix, based on information in said element index table, an element name for said reference number.

Claim 45

The computer program product of claim 39, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a reference number in an element hit matrix; means for enabling the processor to display text from said patent application containing an occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application; means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a next or previous occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application; and means for enabling the processor to display text from said patent application containing said selected next or previous occurrence of said selected reference number in said patent application.

Claim 46

The computer program product of claim 39, wherein said enabling means further comprises: means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select a reference number in an element hit matrix; means for enabling the processor to enable the user to select text from said patent application; and means for enabling the processor to store in said element index table said selected text as a new element name for said selected reference number.