The method may be used for disclosing an invention to an agent, for drafting a patent application, amending the application, prosecuting it, etc.

The method includes, see Figure:

a. Input invention in pictures (1): One or more pictures are used to describe the invention, in a dialog between inventor and agent. The dialog may be performed over the Internet.

The inventor may prepare sketches illustrating the structure and/or operation of the invention; he may bring photos of a prototype in action, or a flow chart or a table with novel aspects of the invention.

The pictures may detail the invention at several instants (samples) in time, to illustrate movement of the parts and/or interactions therebetween; or the pictures may illustrate a system and details of its various subsystems in a hierarchical description. If the inventor's description is verbal or a text, the agent may convert it to pictures and will present it to the inventor for his approval.

b. Pictures processing (1): A number is assigned to each of the parts of the pictures, or to the significant parts of the pictures (some parts are insignificant or are obvious, well known). Numbers may be assigned to groups of parts.

Different parts or different types of parts have different numbers assigned to them. Sometimes, identical parts have the same number; sometimes not.

c. Input invention in pictures (2): A concise text is attached to the pictures: a title to each picture, a name or short description to each part, what each significant part does, benefits and novelty in each significant part and/or combinations of parts and/or the operation of the parts and interrelations therebetween.

The numbers assigned to the parts in pictures in (b) form the link between the pictures and the text. For example, a motor has number 7 in a picture; the text indicates "motor 7" then specifies the benefit in this part (or the benefit and novelty in connecting it to the output axis 9 though the universal joint).

The concise text may include a Terms list with the name of each term used, or group of terms, and its number in the picture/drawing (ie engine 7, pedal 22, display 38).

Preferably a standard vocabulary is used, see for example Method C9 for developing a standard vocabulary. This is important, since the vocabulary forms the basis for subsequent dialog, search, examination, prosecution. Non-professional terms will obfuscate matters or endanger the application.

Numbers are assigned to the parts and their inputs and outputs, see for example Method N2 - parts numbering.

Pictures processing (2): A computer checks the Terms list for consistency, correctness and completeness, reporting on errors and omissions. If required, preparing corrected pictures and/or re-numbering the parts and/or amending the Terms list so as to correct the detected errors or omissions, in a dialog between the inventor and agent.

d. Pictures processing (2): A connections list is prepared by the system, describing the pictures, see for example Method C10 - Structure definition method, with Figs. 12 and 14.

Preferably, the list is prepared by a computer. It may use a scan of the picture with the user entering the text for each part. The computer can identify blocks, connections, contours of parts. possibly using Pattern Recognition Techniques.

Alternately, the list may be prepared manually or semi-automatically. The list may include for example electrical connections, mechanical relationships (ie supports, axis for rotation, counterweight for), flow path in a flow chart, wireless links, entities affecting other entities, control and sensing paths, etc.

For some pictures/drawings it may be difficult to prepare connections lists; in this case, the Terms list in step (c) may be used for further processing/checking, or the concise text.

e. Pictures processing (3): The computer checks the connections list and/or the concise text for consistency, correctness and completeness. See Method G1B - checking the connections list. The checks may be performed for one drawing, and also across several drawings in the patent application being prepared.

Errors and omissions are presented to the inventor and/or agent. If the list only includes parts names (Terms list), then check that the same terms are used for each number in all pictures, that every number has a term associated with it.

f. Are there errors or omissions? If no, go to (i) , else continue

g. Input invention in pictures (3): Preparing corrected pictures and/or re-numbering the parts and/or amending the concise text, as required so as to solve the reported errors and omissions, in a dialog between the inventor and agent. The Terms list may be updated if required. Go to step (d) (14C).

i. Drafting the patent application with its standard parts, while the invention description in the pictures and concise text underlies the description. Keeping links between the application and the above description, for example by numbering the sentences of the application and generating links pointing to them.

k. Pictures processing (6): When the inventor desires to make additions to the application, these are first discussed with the agent and performed on (a) - (g); only then the patent application itself is modified accordingly, see (i). The same process is applied for amendments, comparisons with prior art, etc.