(c) 2007 - djp information consulting services, llc1 1 automatic concept identification: extracting...

(c) 2007 - DJP Information Consulting Services, LLC 1(c) 2007 - DJP Information Consulting Services, LLC 1

Automatic Concept Identification: Extracting Problem Solved Concepts From Patent Documents

IRFS 2007 ViennaInformation Retrieval Facility Symposium

Dr. Daniel J. Phelps,DJP Information Consulting Services, LLC


Outline

Basics of patents Problem solved concept High value applications enabled What makes concept identification hard Organizations working in the area


A Patent Is

A documented solution to a technical problem using a specified technology

Legal document giving an assignee the right to stop others from using his/her patent solution for a stated period of time

Repository of technical know-how


Problem Solved Concept

Statement of what problem is solved in the patent*

Want to understand what problem a patent covers Makes it easier to understand what the

patent can be used for Helps determine the value of a patent

*There is only supposed to be one problem solved in one patent, but there are many exceptions to this rule.


What Is Enabled By Availability Of Problem Solved Concept Information

Problem solved R&D process for creating products

Patent mapping for strategic planning


Typical R&D Process

StartProject

IdentifyProblem

Try ToSolve

Problem

EventuallySolve

Problem

Include InFinal Product

Design

Check OnStatus Of

IP

IPClearanceDecision?

Use Individual& CompanyKnowledge


Problem Solved R&D Process I

StartProject

IdentifyProblem

SearchProblem Solved

Database

UseableSolution?

A

Yes

No

DevelopSolution


Design

Seek IPCoverage

IPClearanceDecision


Problem Solved R&D Process II

DevelopSolution

IPClearanceDecision

Work AroundOr License?

NegotiateLicense


Design

WorkAround

License

Seek IPCoverage


Design

(c) 2007 - DJP Information Consulting Services, LLC 9

Patent Mapping Problem Solved

– Technology Applied

Strategic analysis of IP

Technology Applied

Problem Solved Te

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Problem Solved 01 2 6 8Problem Solved 02 3 1 4Problem Solved 03 1 2 5 8 16Problem Solved 04 2 9 11Problem Solved 05 5 10 15Problem Solved 06 4 10 14Problem Solved 07 2 7 2 11Problem Solved 08 8 3 11Problem Solved 09 6 9 7 22Problem Solved 10 4 4

Total 3 9 10 10 5 19 26 13 11 10


What Makes It Hard To Identify Problem Solved Concept?

Multiple ways of expressing the concept of problem (problem, objective, etc.)

Multiple levels of problems Main problem Sub problem

Location in patent varies with patent granting authority and document type


Structural Clues in US Patent

Title

Abstract

Field of theInvention

Background ofthe Invention

Summary ofthe Invention


Derwent World Patents Index

Online database from Thomson/Dialog Patents/Applications categorized and

indexed manually Descriptive title Use/Advantage Statements Field searchable


Derwent Use/Advantage Statements

Courtesy of Ron Kaminecki, Dialog Corporation

Descriptive Title

Use Statement

Advantage Statement


ClearForest Text mining technology

Tagging engine Extraction modules Analytics

Has patent module Extracts problem solved terms & phrases

Approach Rule-based with tags (regular expressions and

proprietary code) Domain area lists Document structure


ClearForest

Courtesy of Michael, ClearForest Corporation


PatentCafe Online patent search tool Primary search tool

Latent Semantic Analysis Secondary search tool

Heuristic & Advanced Boolean Find related problems when using

concept query Do concept search across 12 million

patents


Sample PatentCafe Concept Search

Concept Search: Search using the claims of a Company A ink jet patent (nozzle designed to constrain dispersal pattern of ink for high resolution printing)

Return: a large body of art in fire extinguisher patents (nozzle constraining extinguishant for managing fires from a distance). In both cases, the nozzle geometry and material viscosity were similar.

Courtesy of Andy Gibb, PatentCafe


Invention Machine Goldfire InnovatorTM

“Speeds process of innovation” Uses natural language processing and

computational linguistics Breaks each sentence down into semantic

components and stores them in a searchable knowledgebase

Search knowledge base using semantic components

Most advanced in extracting problem solved concepts


Invention Machine Goldfire: Semantic Relationships

“The actuator raises the door, it comprises a diaphragm and hydraulic fluid, but a fluid leak can result in abrasionand failure of the actuator.”

actuator raises door

Subject Action Object

actuator comprises diaphragm,hydraulic fluid

Whole Consists of Parts

fluid leak results in

Cause Produces Effects

actuator abrasion,actuator failure

Courtesy of Jeff Boehm, InventionMachineCorporation


Accelovation Market Discovery Tool Technology started at MIT Media Lab Crawls deep web and other content looking for

mention of needs or solutions1

1.7 million “solution statements” 1.0 million “needs statements”

Uses text analytics to Match needs of exiting markets with new technical

solutions Match existing technology solutions (benefits) with the

needs of new markets Not problem solved approach but analogous in

concept


Accelovation Concept Organization A has a need for a way to solve

a particular problem in their market Organization B has a technical solution that

would benefit Organization A Company A initiates a search against the

repository of needs and solutions statements found in Accelovation’s web search

The software makes the match between Organization A’s need and Organization B’s solution (benefit)


Summary & Conclusions A patent database searchable by problem

solved would enable a much more efficient R&D process

The task is not easy, but there are several organizations working in the area using different approaches

Invention Machine comes closest to providing this service in the patent realm

Accelovation sells an analogues service in the market discovery realm that could be used with patents

(c) 2007 - DJP Information Consulting Services, LLC 23

References

Dialog: http://www.dialog.com/

Invention Machine: http://www.invention-machine.com/

ClearForest: http://www.clearforest.com

PatentCafe: http://www.patentcafe.com/

Accelovaion: http://www.accelovation.com/

1Seth Grimes, Intelligent Enterprise, May 17, 2007http://www.intelligententerprise.com/blog/archives/2007


Contact Information

Dr. Daniel J. Phelps DJP Information Consulting

Services, LLC. [email protected]

(c) 2007 - djp information consulting services, llc1 1 automatic concept identification: extracting...

Documents

concept information

concept of problem problem

problem search problem

patent mapping problem

technical problem

availability of problem

invention slide

patentcafe slide