PATENT-RELATED TOOLS AND METHODOLOGY FOR USE IN THE LICENSING PROCESS, GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF A BUSINESS AND IN THE MERGER AND ACQUISITION PROCESS

摘要

The present invention is related to patent-related tools, and methodologies involving those tools, for assisting in all stages of the licensing process (Fig. 1), in the general management of a business process and in the merger and acquisition process. The IPAM server may be used in conjunction with the tools and methodology to aid in the processes. The licensing process goes through a variety of stages before a patent, software program etc. is finally licensed by another party. The licensing process may have 5 stages, including a portfolio analysis stage (102), assertion analysis stage (104), negotiation stage (106), litigation stage (108) and collection stage (110). The General Management of a business goes through a variety of stages (states). Merger and Acquisition Process goes through a variety of stages before a Company A and Company B come to an agreement regarding the merger or the acquisition.