CONTEST
Competed
$5,000
This contest is closed.
Problem
Patexia is looking for descriptions of a system where a customer can login to a business’s web server to view and modify their customer information and subscribed services.
Submitted documents describing this system must be:
- published before 07/24/1996 or a system in use before 07/24/1996
- not a patent document
- not on the known references list
The entire submission should, in the same document or in a second document, describe a system that uses a front-end server where:
- the customer connects to the front end server over the Internet
- the customer is shown their information and available services
- the customer is allowed to submit a modification request the information and available services through the front-end server
- the modification request is remotely processed by the telecommunications service provider
- the customer is notified by the server front-end a verification of the modifications made to the customer’s information and available services
This contest is for a prior art search for US Patent 6,115,737 (‘737), with a focus on claims 7, 8, 9, and 14 in the context of allowing customers of a telecommunications service provider to view and modify their services over the Internet, or entirely within an intranet or closed network.
Contest icon from Clayton Johnson used under CC BY 3.0 US.
Questions
| # | Question | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is the reference a non-patent document published before July 24th, 1996 or a document that describes a publicly used system that was in use before July 24th, 1996? | T/F |
| 2 | Does the reference describe allowing a customer to modify their services and customer data for a telecommunications service provider by connecting to a server front-end? | 20 |
| 3 | Does this system allow the customer to establish a connection over the Internet between the customer’s computer and the front-end server, and display information and services available tailored to that customer? | 20 |
| 4 | Does this system allow the customer to request a modification of the displayed information and services available through this front-end server connection? | 25 |
| 5 | Does the system then remotely process this modification request, and use the front-end server to show the customer a verification of any modifications made? | 25 |
| 6 | Does this system, alternatively, occur through an intranet or closed network? | 10 |
Additional Notes
This is a Prior Art Search contest aimed at determining if a patent idea was known and publicly available before a patent was filed.
+5 bonus points will be awarded for for foreign language references.
This contest has been extended to Sunday, February 15th, 2015 at 11:59 PM PST and is subject to modified prize distribution awards:
- the top submission will be designated as a winner and receive $3,000
- the next scored 2 submissions will be designated as winners and receive $500 each
- the next scored submissions (to a maximum of 10) will be designated as runners up and receive a minimum of $100 each
Please review the Contest Rules. For more information on how to submit to this Contest type, please read the Intro to Prior Art Search page.
