WO2001031507A1

WO2001031507A1 - Searchable database of informational materials such as research memoranda and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2001031507A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/029308
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert R. Stead
Original assignee: Stead Robert R
Priority date: 1999-10-22
Filing date: 2000-10-23
Publication date: 2001-05-03
Also published as: CA2388190A1; AU1437301A

Abstract

A research system and method (10) for obtaining informational materials (16) includes building a database of informational materials (12) and permitting access to the informational materials for a fee. At least some of the informational materials may be specific to a particular jurisdiction. At least a portion of the collected fee may be provided to the contributor (14) supplying the materials.

Description

SEARCHABLE DATABASE OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS SUCH AS RESEARCH MEMORANDA AND THE LIKE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from United States provisional patent application Serial No. 60/160,740, filed on October 22, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a computer-based research apparatus and method of obtaining informational materials. The invention is especially adapted to obtaining materials specific to a particular jurisdiction. Although the invention is illustrated for use with legal research, it has applicability to accounting, consulting, business management, technology, and the like.

A practitioner in a particular field, such as the legal field, is often competent in the law or regulations of a particular jurisdiction, such as a state, country, or the like. It should be understood that jurisdiction may include the federal government, any agency, or organization thereof, or other such unique organization whose laws and regulations are different from those of other such organizations. However, the individual may be confronted with a matter which requires application of the law or regulations of a different jurisdiction and with which the individual is not familiar. The matter may also involve a specific set of facts for which the practitioner is not familiar, especially in a jurisdiction to which the practitioner is not accustomed. While it is possible to hire a practitioner in the jurisdiction to which the matter pertains, such procedure is often expensive and time-consuming. Furthermore, it is difficult to be aware of the practitioners in that jurisdiction having the competency or experience most appropriate or relevant to the matter.

It is known to provide legal research services from individuals who are capable of investigating a particular matter and preparing a legal research brief on that matter. The legal research brief may be specific to a particular jurisdiction or more than one jurisdiction. It is also known to compile such research memoranda in a database of other research memoranda. The database of such research memoranda may then be made available, for a fee, to individuals seeking information on matters that may have been previously addressed. In order to fund such database development, the organization originally sponsoring the research project is provided with a discount if it grants permission to allow its research memoranda to be added to the database. Upon adding the research memoranda to the database, confidential information, such as identifying information, and the like, is removed.

The difficulty with such prior legal research network is that it is unable to quickly accumulate a significant database of research memoranda. The reason is that, before an item can be added to the database, it must first be commissioned by an end user and the end user must agree to allow the item to be added to the database. There is no incentive to the authors of the research memoranda for having his or her items added to the database and only marginal value to the commissioning entity for having its commissioned item added to the database.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a computer-based research system and method which, in a cost-effective manner, provides access to an extensive collection of materials.

A computer-based research system, according to an aspect of the invention, includes a database defined by a computer system which includes research materials specific to a plurality of particular jurisdictions. The computer-based research apparatus further includes a computer search engine which provides access to the database in order to obtain material specific to a particular jurisdiction. Preferably, the research materials are previously prepared research memoranda, articles, seminar outlines, or briefs. The search engine may be remotely accessed through a communication system which may include a global network, wide area network, local area network, or the like. Additionally, the research apparatus may include links to publicly available material.

A method of obtaining materials specific to a particular jurisdiction, according to an aspect of the invention, includes providing a computer database including research material specific to a plurality of jurisdictions. The method further includes searching the database in order to obtain material specific to a particular jurisdiction. The method may include providing a value from a subscriber for the searching and providing a portion of the value to a contributing firm for access to the previously prepared research memoranda, articles, seminar outlines, and/or briefs.

A method of obtaining informational materials, according to an additional aspect of the invention, includes building a database of pre-existing materials related to a particular professional discipline, wherein the pre-existing materials are supplied by at least one contributor. The method further includes providing access to the database by at least one subscriber to search the pre-existing materials and permits the at least one subscriber access to the pre-existing materials for a fee. The method further includes providing at least a portion of the fee to the at least one contributor supplying the downloaded materials. Access to the materials may be to download and license the use of any of the pre-existing materials for a fee. The access to the materials may be read-only access to the pre-existing materials for a reduced fee.

These and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a computer-based research system and method of obtaining informational materials according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now specifically to the drawings, and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a research system and method 10 includes a database illustrated at 12 made up of informational materials, such as research material. Each informational item is preferably specific to a particular jurisdiction. However, each informational item may be specific to multiple jurisdictions. Because information items will apply to various different jurisdictions, the accumulation of the research material in database 12 will be specific to a plurality of particular jurisdictions.

The database 12 will be preferably created by a geographically dispersed group of contributing firms 14a, 14b . . . 14n. The contributing firms may be law firms, accounting firms, consulting firms, technology firms, business management firms, or a combination of such firms. The contributing firms each have a collection of internally prepared informational materials, such as research materials 16a, 16b . . . 16n. The informational materials may include, by way of example, research memoranda, articles, seminar outlines, briefs, and similar materials which provide analyses of current law, accounting, and technology issues and business management techniques. The informational materials would be submitted, preferably electronically, to the database via a global area network, wide area network, local area network, compact disk, floppy disk, or the like. Confidential information contained in the informational materials, such as client names, the identity of adverse parties, other identifying information, and the like, would be purged prior to submission. It is preferred that the informational material be submitted with a standardized format and organized into subject matter categories and catalogued so that the material could be searched on a word-by-word, phrase-by-phrase, or category basis.

Database 12 may additionally be linked to other sites 18 containing primary source materials. These primary source materials may include statutes, codes, regulations, legislation, and pronouncements of the related professional association, such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Bar Association, or the like. The primary source materials 18 may additionally include academic journals. The access to publicly available information 18 may be via hyper-links over the worldwide web or by a dedicated communication line, or the like. Research apparatus and method 10 may additionally include a search engine 20 for providing access to database 12 and a communication 22 for providing access by a user or subscriber 24 to database 12.

User/subscriber 24 may be an individual, partnership, proprietor, limited liability company, corporation, trust, or other form of legal entity. Such subscriber may have the need to research specific legal, accounting, or business topics. Subscriber 24 will submit a value, such as a fee, represented at 26 for access to the database. Preferably, fee 26 is an annual fee, but other fee structures may be assigned. Subscriber 24 is preferably provided with a name and password to identify legitimate users of the database 12.

In the preferred form, subscribers would be entitled to browse and search the materials in database 12 for materials relevant to the issue being researched. Once relevant information is located, the full text of a particular item in database 12 may be downloaded by the subscriber. Preferably, the browse and searching of the database materials may be provided for an annual subscription fee while the full text of one or more relevant items would be downloaded for a fee. A particular portion of the license fee may be remitted to the contributing firm supplying the downloaded material with the balance being retained by the firm maintaining the database.

Use of the database permits subscribers to more rapidly acquaint themselves with a particular legal, accounting, or business issue by reviewing the analysis prepared by the contributing firm. This, in turn, should permit the subscriber to quickly resolve the issue or narrow the scope of inquiry. This minimizes and, perhaps, avoids the costly and time- consuming research by inside or outside legal, accounting, or consulting resources. Furthermore, the system and method, according to the invention, may assist in identifying a practitioner who is competent in the jurisdiction of interest to the subscriber and, in this manner, may facilitate direct contact between subscribers and contributors.

An example of the manner in which method and system 10 may be utilized is as follows:

Corporation A, a subscriber, maintains its corporate headquarters in the State of Indiana and maintains an in-house legal staff at that location. Its outside general counsel is an Indianapolis-based law firm with offices in other Indiana cities which maintains a state and local tax practice group.

The state of Utah has raised an issue with A regarding A's liability for use tax in that state. A's in-house legal staff and its outside general counsel are both unfamiliar with the Utah statute and its application, although either could perform the basic research on the statute. Instead of engaging its outside general counsel to research the issue, or randomly selecting Utah counsel with whom it has no pre-existing relationship, both of which may involve significant expense for time devoted to getting an attorney in either firm up to speed on the issue, A searches the database and locates a research memorandum prepared by a contributing Salt Lake City law firm on a similar issue. A pays the necessary fee to license its use of the memorandum, a portion of which is passed on to the contributing, or originating, law firm. A reviews its contents and refines the scope of the research project. A then has the choice of (a) performing follow-up research, if any, through its in-house legal staff, (b) engaging its outside general counsel for the same task, but with a much clearer understanding of the issue and the scope of the research, or (c) engaging the Utah law firm for the same task which, based upon the Utah firm's familiarity with the issue, should be performed more efficiently and cost-effectively. Research system and method 10 facilitates cross-jurisdiction resolution of issues by avoiding the need to conduct original research in unfamiliar jurisdictions. It also avoids the need to randomly select local counsel in another jurisdiction and facilitates the resolution, or at least narrowing, of issues in an expedient fashion.

Research system and method 10 also facilitates direct contact between the subscriber and the contributing firm. This facilitates the locating of a local counsel in the jurisdiction of interest, who may have particular knowledge in the matter of interest. It also provides for a rapid development of the database by providing financial incentives to the creators of informational materials to make them available for the database.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A computer-based research system, comprising: a database defined by a computer system comprising informational materials, at least some of which are specific to a particular jurisdiction; and a computer search engine providing access to said database in order to obtain at least one information material specific to a particular jurisdiction.

2. The research system in claim 1 wherein said informational materials are selected from at least one of the fields of law, accounting, technology, consulting, or business management.

3. The research system in claim 1 wherein the informational materials are selected from at least one of previously prepared research memoranda, articles, seminar outlines and briefs.

4. The research system in claim 3 wherein said informational materials are supplied from files of at least one contributing firm.

5. The research system in claim 3 wherein identifying information specific to individuals, firms and organizations is removed from the informational materials.

6. The research apparatus in claim 1 wherein said research materials are catalogued to be searchable on a word-by-word basis, a phrase-by-phrase basis or a category basis.

7. The research apparatus in claim 1 including a communication system remotely accessing said database.

8. The research apparatus in claim 7 wherein said communication system comprises at least one of a global network, a wide area network and a local area network.

9. The research apparatus in claim 1 including links to publicly available material.

10. A method of obtaining informational materials specific to a particular jurisdiction, comprising: providing a computer database comprising informational materials, at least some of said informational materials are specific to a particular jurisdiction; and searching said database in order to obtain informational material specific to a particular jurisdiction.

11. The method of obtaining materials of claim 10 including selecting said informational materials from at least one of the fields of law, accounting, consulting, technology and business management.

12. The method of obtaining materials of claim 10 including selecting the informational materials from at least one of previously prepared research memoranda, articles, seminar outlines or briefs.

13. The method of obtaining materials of claim 12 including removing identifying information specific to individuals, firms and organizations from the research materials.

14. The method of obtaining materials of claim 10 including cataloguing said informational materials to be searchable on a word-by-word basis, a phrase-by-phrase basis or a category basis.

15. The method of obtaining materials of claim 10 including providing a communication system remotely accessing said database.

16. The method of obtaining materials of claim 15 wherein said communication system comprises at least one of a global network, a wide area network and a local area network.

17. The method of obtaining materials of claim 10 including providing links to publicly available informational material.

18. The method of obtaining materials of claim 11 including providing a value from a subscriber and providing a portion of said value to a contributing firm of said previously prepared research memoranda, outlines, seminar outlines or briefs.

19. The method of obtaining materials of claim 18 wherein said value comprises at least a subscription fee for accessing said database and a fee for downloading each research memorandum, article, seminar outline, or brief.

20. A method of obtaining informational materials, comprising: building a database of pre-existing informational materials related to a particular professional discipline, said pre-existing informational materials supplied by at least one contributor; providing access to said database by at least one subscriber to search said pre-existing informational materials; permitting said at least one subscriber to access any of said pre-existing informational materials for a fee; and providing at least a portion of said fee to the at least one contributor supplying the informational materials.

21. The method of obtaining materials of claim 20 including selecting said pre-existing informational materials from at least one of the fields of law, accounting, consulting, technology and business management.

22. The method of obtaining materials of claim 20 including selecting the pre-existing informational materials from at least one of previously prepared research memoranda, articles, seminar outlines or briefs.

23. The method of obtaining materials of claim 22 including removing identifying information specific to individuals, firms and organizations from the pre-existing informational materials.

24. The method of obtaining materials of claim 20 including cataloguing said pre-existing informational materials to be searchable on a word-by-word basis, a phrase-by-phrase basis or a category basis.

25. The method of obtaining materials of claim 20 including providing a communication system for accessing said database.

26. The method of obtaining materials of claim 25 wherein said communication system comprises at least one of a global network, a wide area network and a local area network.

27. The method of obtaining materials of claim 20 wherein said informational materials are each specific to a particular jurisdiction or a combination of jurisdictions.

28. The method of obtaining materials of claim 27 wherein said informational materials are jointly specific to a plurality of jurisdictions.

29. The method of obtaining materials of claim 20 wherein the access to the materials includes downloading and licensing the use of said pre-existing informational materials.

30. The method of obtaining materials of claim 20 wherein the access to the materials includes read-only access to said pre-existing informational materials.