Updates on OB10 US patent - Current status

Resume

OB10 has applied for a US patent (which is currently being examined) and has received a European patent on an "Communication routing apparatus". The original application was filed in the US on December 3rd 2001 and the European patent was granted on October 29th 2008 by the European Patent Office (EPO). There is however a 9 months period where a "Notice of opposition" can be sent to EPO (i.e. by the end of July 2009).


The US patent describes a middleware product (e.g. an ESB) where the ESB acts as an intermediary messaging hub between many IT-systems. It basically describes how electronic invoices received from multiple sources and in multiple formats are converted into a standardized format. Finaly the invoices are converted into the desired format of the intended receivers (multiple formats). Static and dynamic data is added in the conversion process to the standardized format.


Current status of US patent
The transaction history for the patent application is made available by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the PAIR system (Patent Application Information Retrieval - Search for Application number 10/006267).





The transaction history shows that the patent was rejected on October 30th 2008. New arguments/remarks were received on March 17th 2009 along with amendments to claim 18 and claim 48). The patent was then forwarded to an examiner on May 19th 2009 and I assume that it is still under examination.

Amended claims
OB10 has amended text to two claims in the application (see latest version as of March 17th 2009 here):

18.(Currently Amended) An invoice routing apparatus comprising:

• an invoice receiver for receiving data corresponding to a plurality of invoices from a plurality of sources;
• a database for storing input invoice mapping definitions;
• an input processor device for processing the data corresponding to the plurality of received invoices within said invoice routing apparatus, the data for each invoice being converted by said input processor into an intermediate invoice in a standard intermediate form having predetermined characteristics and to provide the intermediate invoice in a data warehouse; the input processor configured to select an invoice mapping definition from the database in dependence on the sender of each received invoice and using the selected input invoice mapping definition when converting said data for the received invoice into said intermediate invoice;
• an output processor device configured to convert each of said intermediate form invoices obtained from the data warehouse into a final invoice in a form selected in dependence on an identity of a party being invoiced, the output processor obtaining an invoice destination identification from each intermediate invoice and selecting an output invoice mapping definition in dependence on the invoice destination identification; and
• an invoice transmitter device for transmitting each of the final invoices from said invoice routing apparatus to the party being invoiced;
• said input processor device further being configured to:
• add static data to the data corresponding to the received invoices when processed into said standard intermediate form;
• add dynamic data to the data corresponding to the received invoices when processed into the standard intermediate form; and,
• validate the data corresponding to the received invoices when processed into the standard intermediate form before transmission by said transmitter to the party being invoiced.

48. (Currently Amended) An invoice routing method comprising:

• receiving data corresponding to a plurality of invoices from a plurality of sources;
• storing input invoice mapping definitions;
• providing an input processor device and configuring the input processor device for performing an input processing of the data corresponding to the plurality of received invoices, converting the data for each invoice into an intermediate invoice in a standard intermediate form having predetermined characteristics and providing the intermediate invoice in a data warehouse;
• configuring the input processor device for selecting an invoice mapping definition from the store in dependence on the sender of each received invoice and using the selected input invoice mapping definition when converting said data for the received invoice into said intermediate invoice;
• providing an output processor device and configuring the output processor device for performing an output processing for converting each of said intermediate form invoices obtained from the data warehouse into a final invoice in a form selected in dependence on an identity of a party being invoiced,
• configuring the output processor device for obtaining an invoice destination identification from each intermediate invoice and selecting an output invoice mapping definition in dependence on the invoice destination identification; and
• transmitting each of the final invoices to the party being invoiced;
• said input processing by said input processor device further including:
• adding static data to the data corresponding to the received invoices when processed into said standard intermediate form;
• adding dynamic data to the data corresponding to the received invoices when processed into the standard intermediate form; and,
• validating the data corresponding to the received invoices when processed in the standard intermediate form before transmission to the party being invoiced.

The amended claims above shows that OB10 is trying to patent:

1. A piece of software (an apparatus) used to convert invoices 1) from multiple sources and formats, 2) to a standardized format and 3) finaly converted and delivered to multiple formats and destinations. Such an apparatus is "off the shelf" functionality in many middleware products and was "off the shelf" functionality at the time of application.
2. A business method involving the convertion of invoices 1) from multiple sources and formats, 2) to a standardized format and 3) finaly converted and delivered to multiple formats and destinations. This is a well know business model offered by many service providers and value added network operators prior to the application of the US patent. This business model is today also known as the "Three corner model".

As mentioned in the above: The software functionality (apparatus) and the business method has been described publicly prior to the application of the US patent. (e.g the TradeCard solution - see "Notice of opposition" against OB10's Communication routing apparatus patent)

References

US Patent Claims on a Communication routing apparatus as of March 17th 2009

United States Patent and Trademark Office - USPTO