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Solution Title: Community Patent Initiative

Category: Patent Quality Initiative

Contributor: International Business Machines, Inc. (IBM)

Abstract: Sponsored by IBM, and in conjunction with the USPTO, the Community Patent Project seeks to create a peer review system for patents that exploits network technology to enable innovation experts to inform the patent examination procedure. In every field of scientific endeavor, peer review is a critical quality control mechanism to improve innovation. Throughout the public sector both peer review and citizen consultation are either legally mandated or practiced as a way to inform policymaking.

The Community Patent Project aims to design and pilot an online system for peer review of patents. The Community Patent system will support a network of experts to advise the Patent Office on prior art as well as to assist with patentability determinations by using social software, such as social reputation, collaborative filtering and information visualization tools.

Visit the following sites for additional information on the Community Patent Project.

Notes:

The Peer to Patent Project: Community Review of Patents

IBM Press Release, 1/10/2006