Automatic Concept Identification: Extracting Problem Solved Concepts From Patent Documents

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Automatic Concept Identification Extracting
Problem Solved Concepts From Patent Documents

• IRFS 2007 Vienna
• Information Retrieval Facility Symposium
• Dr. Daniel J. Phelps,
• DJP Information Consulting Services, LLC

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

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

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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

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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.
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What Is Enabled By Availability Of Problem
Solved Concept Information

• Problem solved RD process for creating products
• Patent mapping for strategic planning

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Typical RD Process
Start Project
Identify Problem
Try To Solve Problem
Use Individual Company Knowledge
Eventually Solve Problem
Include In Final Product Design
Check On Status Of IP
IP Clearance Decision?
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Problem Solved RD Process I
Useable Solution?
Yes
Start Project
Identify Problem
Search Problem Solved Database
A
No
Develop Solution
Include In Final Product Design
Seek IP Coverage
IP Clearance Decision
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Problem Solved RD Process II
Work Around
Work Around Or License?
Develop Solution
Seek IP Coverage
Include In Final Product Design
License
IP Clearance Decision
Negotiate License
Include In Final Product Design
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Patent Mapping

• Problem Solved Technology Applied
• Strategic analysis of IP

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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

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Structural Clues in US Patent
Summary of the Invention
Title
Abstract
Background of the Invention
Field of the Invention
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Derwent World Patents Index

• Online database from Thomson/Dialog
• Patents/Applications categorized and indexed
  manually
• Descriptive title
• Use/Advantage Statements
• Field searchable

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Derwent Use/Advantage Statements
Descriptive Title
Use Statement
Advantage Statement
Courtesy of Ron Kaminecki, Dialog Corporation
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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

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ClearForest
Courtesy of Michael, ClearForest Corporation
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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

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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
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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

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Invention Machine Goldfire Semantic
Relationships
The actuator raises the door, it comprises a
diaphragm and hydraulic fluid, but a fluid leak
can result in abrasion and failure of the
actuator.
raises
Courtesy of Jeff Boehm, Invention Machine Corpor
ation
actuator
door
Subject
Action
Object
comprises
diaphragm, hydraulic fluid
actuator
Whole
Consists of
Parts
results in
actuator abrasion, actuator failure
fluid leak
Cause
Produces
Effects
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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

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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 Accelovations web search
• The software makes the match between Organization
  As need and Organization Bs solution (benefit)

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Summary Conclusions

• A patent database searchable by problem solved
  would enable a much more efficient RD 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

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(c) 2007 - DJP Information Consulting Services,
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References
1Seth Grimes, Intelligent Enterprise, May 17,
2007 http//www.intelligententerprise.com/blog/arc
hives/2007
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Contact Information

• Dr. Daniel J. Phelps
• DJP Information Consulting Services, LLC.
• DJP.Info.CS_at_frontiernet.net

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(c) 2007 - DJP Information Consulting Services,
LLC