Patent registry architecture with portal for external annuity payment service providers

A system for managing patent annuity fee payments, the system comprising one or more processors to:

• provide a registry of patent matters comprising, at least, a listing of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable;
• register customers of the registry as registered users of the registry;
• allow at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry listing for payment of patent annuity fees;
• and
• provide a registry portal to allow an external annuity payment service provider to communicate electronically with the registry and tag patent matters on behalf of its clients.

A system for managing patent annuity fee payments, the system comprising:

• a network;
• at least one registry, accessible on the network, the registry including at least one database of patent matters representing all patent matters registered at a national patent office for which respective patent annuity fees are payable;
• and
• a server, operatively connected to the network, wherein the server includes:
• a processor,
• a memory,
• software operable on the processor to:
• provide a listing of at least some of the patent matters stored in the registry database;
• register customers of the registry as registered users of the registry;
• allow at least one registered user of the registry to tag one or more patent matters in the registry database for payment of patent annuity fees;
• and
• provide a registry portal to allow an external annuity payment service provider to communicate electronically with the registry and tag patent matters on behalf of its clients.