First there was the patented mock jury, now we have a patented method and apparatus for managing outside counsel. U.S. Patent No. 7,076,439, titled “Method and Apparatus for Managing Multiple Projects,” is assigned to LSI Logic. Claim 8 reads as follows:
8. An apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store (i) a membership information database, (ii) a global events database, (iii) a calendar database and (iv) an events engine database; and
a database management system configured to:
(A) assign from a membership information database (i) an in-house council and (ii) an outside council to a project based on a first input from an individual;(B) receive a document having an initial date;(C) store in a global event database (i) said document and (ii) said initial date based on a second input from said individual;(D) calculate a due date based on both (i) a type of said document and (ii) said initial date;(E) store in a calendar database said due date;(F) select said outside council to perform a first task for said project;(G) receive from an events engine database as selected by said in-house council an authorization response for said outside council to perform said first task;(H) send automatically to said outside council both (i) a work authorization defined by said authorization response and (ii) said document when an authorization event occurs;(I) receive from said events engine database as selected by said in-house council a first conditional response for said first task, wherein said first conditional response is (i) set when said authorization event occurs and (ii) performed if set when a first reminder event occurs;(J) calculate a first reminder date for said first reminder event;(K) store in said calendar database said first reminder date; and(L) send automatically on said first reminder date to said outside council a first reminder email to complete said first task if said first conditional response is set, wherein a supervisor does not receive said first reminder email;(M) receive from said events engine database as selected by said in-house council a second conditional response for said first task, wherein said second conditional response is (i) set when said first reminder event occurs and (ii) performed if set when a second reminder event occurs;(N) calculate a second reminder date for said second reminder event; and(O) send automatically on said second reminder date to both (i) said outside council and (ii) said supervisor, a second reminder email to complete said first task if said second conditional response is set.
The prosecution history includes an appeal brief filed by applicant that resulted in a new rejection based on a new search . . .
