The present invention relates to an electronic storage area for digital ideas and, more particularly, to a system and method to store, manage and secure digital ideas submitted with selection of the level of security made by the user.
People of all ages generate ideas, innovations and inventions daily. Ideas can be generated for new products, new processes, or improvements on current products and processes. These ideas in some instances might be accompanied by drawings and sketches. The storage of information into a secure database exists but a common problem with conventional databases is the inability to easily name and store these ideas and effectively manage access to the stored information. Specifically a means of submitting individual ideas into a secure storage area and having a means to allow trusted friends and/or colleagues to review the ideas while maintaining the idea as a person's own intellectual property has not been addressed adequately. In many instances when information is entered into a database, it is either available for anyone to see which compromises the creator's intellectual property or it is only available to the creator through an encrypted environment. There is a need for a technology to address this problem by creating a method and system whereby the creator/user can easily enter any idea, innovation, or invention and select a level of security for each individual idea.
A secondary problem with conventional systems for storing ideas occurs when the idea is generated by a person under the age of eighteen. The idea can be stored in a secure environment however before that idea is shared with others for review and feedback there must be permission from the legal guardian/parent of the minor who generated that idea.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a system and method for managing and securing electronically submitted ideas to a central repository. The system allows for the easy submission of ideas via electronic means such as email, fax, cell phone, text message, and through a website. In an embodiment, users submit an idea (such as the design for a new toy) to a central controller which stores that idea in digital form (such as computer drawings or digitized hand sketches). The user is able to view and update the idea over time, and determine who may or may not have access to the stored files.
Access to the stored information is regulated by a central controller. Such control may be dictated by the preferences of the user storing the information. For example the user may elect to allow only himself to have access to the information. Or the user may elect to have trusted friends, a teacher, or a perspective manufacturer have access to the information. Or the user may elect to make the information public to anyone who enters the central controller or website.
Mechanisms and/or techniques are described for securing parental/guardian permission to share ideas generated and electronically stored when the idea is generated by a person who has not reached the age of majority.
The invention is illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings, which are meant to be exemplary and not limiting, in which like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements, and in which:
In the following description of embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof and in which is shown by way of illustration a number of specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and structural changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
User device 110 can be represented by a variety of devices, such as, personal computers, personal digital assistants, smart phones, cellular or mobile phones, portable media players, facsimile equipment, or the like. User device 110 includes client software, such as a resident application, applet, or web browser application, that enables a user interface to be displayed on the user device 110. For example, responsive to user interaction, user device 110 may send a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request to central controller 112 to access an HTTP object, Extensible Markup Language (XML) document, or the like. The HTTP object or XML document may be stored and formatted as a web page that is displayed at the user device 110 and allows the user to interact with central controller 112.
Central controller 112 responds to requests from user device 110. In an embodiment, central controller 112 receives idea submissions from user device 110 and forwards the idea submissions to idea submission management system 114 for further processing. Therefore, central controller 112 can include a software application operating on one or more servers located remotely from user device 110 or within the same facility as user device 110.
Idea submission management system 114 and idea database 116 include a relational or object oriented (OO)/component based database management system, or the like, that controls the storing, retrieving, and updating of data and metadata in the database records. The database management system also controls data integration, enforces integrity rules and constraints (including data integrity and referential integrity), and enforces security constraints. Idea database 116 is scalable to store data on multiple disk arrays. Data warehousing can be implemented with the SQL Server 2008® application available from Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, Wash.), the Oracle® 11g database available from Oracle Corporation (Redwood City, Calif.), or the like. Idea submission management system 114 and idea database 116 can support the Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) or Java DataBase Connectivity (JDBC) protocols.
Thus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a user-generated idea is sent from user device 110 to central controller 112 (which can be, for example, a website) where the idea is stored in idea database 116 and access to the stored idea is controlled by idea submission management system 114.
The communications link between and/or among user device 110, central controller 112, idea submission management system 114, and idea database 116 comprise network interface hardware and/or software that allow each component to transmit and receive data and/or messages. The communications link can be a wired and/or wireless local area network (LAN), virtual LAN (VLAN), wide area network (WAN), and/or metropolitan area network (MAN), such as an organization's intranet, a local internet, the global-based Internet (including the World Wide Web (WWW)), an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), licensed wireless telecommunications spectrum for digital cell (including CDMA, TDMA, GSM, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA2000, WCDMA FDD and/or TDD or TD-SCDMA technologies), or the like. The communications link can support wired, wireless, or combinations of both transmission media, including satellite, terrestrial (e.g., fiber optic, copper, UTP, STP, coaxial, hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC), or the like), radio, free-space optics, microwave, and/or any other form or method of transmission.
Referring to
Referring to
If the user chooses to share the idea submission, at step 308, it is determined whether it is the user's first time establishing share rights or policies. If not, the control flow 300 passes to step 312. Otherwise, control passes to step 310.
At step 310, the user is given a brief informational description or tutorial about intellectual property, and specifically a tutorial on preserving rights in Intellectual Property/Trade Secret information. This is to assist the user in deciding if the idea is to be shared with trusted friends or with the general public.
At step 312, it is determined whether the user has reached the appropriate age of majority, e.g., eighteen years of age. For example, the user can be prompted to enter his or her birthdate, or a software application may be programmed to determine the user's birthdate from other information stored within system 100. Therefore, it is determined whether the user is under the age of majority and require parental/guardian permission.
If it is determined that the user has not reached the age of majority, control passes to step 320 (see also
If the user has reached the age of majority, then at step 314, the user can identify the individual(s) that s/he desires to authorize access to the idea submission, and the user specifies the sharing rights or policies (see also
At the second highest level of security, the user allows a small group of trusted people (such as a friend, teacher, family members, or the like) to have access to the stored idea submissions. For example, the user might submit an original drawing of a handbag design and elect to have the design viewable by a teacher overseeing the class project that generated the design. In this case the teacher may be provided with a password by the management system 100 which allows access to the stored design. In another embodiment, once the teacher authenticates himself to the management system 100, he is given access to all ideas for which he has been previously cleared to view by the users. In an embodiment, individuals must sign legal agreements (such as non-disclosure agreements) in order to qualify to review stored ideas.
At the lowest level of security, all submitted ideas are completely open to public review. Users selecting this security option may be warned that they could lose some intellectual property right by having their ideas open to public review.
In some embodiments, such levels of security may be determined on an idea by idea basis. For example, a user may submit three ideas and elect to have the highest levels of security applied to the first two ideas while the third idea is open for anyone to review.
In other embodiments, the level of security may be different for different aspects of the stored information. For example, a user submitting a new sporting goods design may allow others to see the name of the design and the name of the sport that it is used in, but keep all other aspects of the invention private.
In another embodiment, levels of security may be altered over time. For example, a user may specify that an idea is not to be available for anyone else to access until the publication date of a patent filed covering that idea.
In other embodiments, stored information may be transferred to third parties involved in the commercialization of the idea. For example, a user might elect to send one or more stored ideas to a third party manufacturer to facilitate the preparation of a prototype design. In another embodiment, ideas are sent to third parties such as venture capitalists for an evaluation of the commercial potential of the idea.
Once the sharing rights or policies are defined, they are stored in a user profile defining the specified user roles located at idea submission management system 114, and the control flow ends at step 320 where the user logs out.
Referring to
Otherwise, control passes to step 410, and the user is shown Intellectual Property/Trade Secret information to assist the user in making the sharing decision. At step 412, the user-specified sharing rights or policies are assigned to the stored idea submission, or part thereof, as described above.
If the user decides to allow anyone in the public to see and review a stored idea, then at step 408, it is determined whether it is the user's first time establishing sharing rights or policies. If not, control passes to step 412.
Otherwise, control passes to step 410, and the user is shown Intellectual Property/Trade Secret information to assist the user in making the sharing decision. Then at step 412, the user-specified sharing rights or policies are assigned to the stored idea submission, or part thereof, as described above.
Referring to
At step 506, it is determined whether it is the parent/guardian's first time establishing sharing rights or policies. If not, control passes to step 510.
Otherwise, control passes to step 508, and the parent/guardian is provided Intellectual Property/Trade Secret information to review before granting permission for the user (e.g., their child) to share a stored idea.
At step 510, the parent/guardian either selects to give permission to share the stored idea or not, and at step 512, a database query is generated to identify the user account and the user-specified sharing rights or policies are assigned to the stored idea submission, or part thereof, as described above.
In an embodiment, system 100 can be used to help children under eighteen years of age to develop and commercialize their ideas and inventions. These ideas may be inventions, drawings, movies, designs, suggestions, formulae, recipes, and other forms of intellectual property, or the like. Children would be encouraged to send digital information to central controller 112 for secure storage by idea submission management system 114. For example, a child might begin work on a new accessory for eyeglasses. The child first names the idea and creates a record in the idea submission management system 114 at the central controller 112 via a personal computer and web browser software (e.g., user device 110). The child then develops the idea, perhaps creating a series of drawings that clarify the functionality of the invention. These drawings may be scanned and transmitted directly to idea submission management system 114 for secure storage. Research conducted on the Internet may also be appended to the digital file for this child's invention stored in the idea submission management system 114. Once the idea has been more fully conceived, the child may allow the record controlled by idea submission management system 114 to be viewed by a panel of judges in an invention contest run by the central controller 112. The child may also allow his teacher to have access to the files stored in at the idea submission management system 114 in order to receive class credit for his efforts.
In an embodiment, central controller 112 can be accessible to users all over the world, and can have different idea management protocols based on the country that the submission is coming from.
In software implementations, computer software (e.g., programs or other instructions) and/or data is stored on a machine readable medium as part of a computer program product, and is loaded into a computer system or other device or machine via a removable storage drive, hard drive, or communications interface. Computer software can be implemented by any programming or scripting languages, such as Java, Javascript, Action Script, or the like. Computer programs (also called computer control logic or computer readable program code) are stored in a main and/or secondary memory, and executed by one or more processors (controllers, or the like) to cause the one or more processors to perform the functions of the invention as described herein. In this document, the terms “machine readable medium,” “computer program medium” and “computer usable medium” are used to generally refer to media such as a random access memory (RAM); a read only memory (ROM); a removable storage unit (e.g., a magnetic or optical disc, flash memory device, or the like); a hard disk; electronic, electromagnetic, optical, acoustical, or other form of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, or the like); or the like.
Notably, the figures and examples above are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention to a single embodiment, but other embodiments are possible by way of interchange of some or all of the described or illustrated elements. Moreover, where certain elements of the present invention can be partially or fully implemented using known components, only those portions of such known components that are necessary for an understanding of the present invention are described, and detailed descriptions of other portions of such known components are omitted so as not to obscure the invention. In the present specification, an embodiment showing a singular component should not necessarily be limited to other embodiments including a plurality of the same component, and vice-versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance presented herein, in combination with the knowledge of one skilled in the relevant art(s). Moreover, it is not intended for any term in the specification or claims to be ascribed an uncommon or special meaning unless explicitly set forth as such. Further, the present invention encompasses present and future known equivalents to the known components referred to herein by way of illustration. While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example, and not limitation. It would be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) that various changes in form and detail could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61,137,423, filed Jul. 30, 2008, for SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY OF DIGITAL IDEA SUBMISSIONS, by Norman Goldstein, incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61137423 | Jul 2008 | US |