Method and apparatus for delivering electronic patent publications

摘要

The device has a memory with a patent publication databank controlled by a processor. A logical unit determines a most representative patent publication of one family using hierarchical criteria. A communication server is programmed to receive requests from users, execute the requests by the databank and to return request results in the form of a list of most representative patent publications to the users. An independent claim is also included for a process of storing and distributing patent publications in an electronic form.