This week I received a note from MaxVal, a company that serves patent attorneys and agents with a broad range of software and services for patent portfolio management.
One useful (and free) service that MaxVal offers is a page of free online patent tools, including:
– a Patent Widget that gathers information from multiple databases and presents bibliographic information, assignment data and maintenance fee data in one place;
– a Claim Chart Generator; and
– a IFW File Splitter that divides the PDF of a USPTO file history into individual documents based on bookmarks.
MaxVal is also offering a free one-year subscription to its daily IP litigation alert emails. To subscribe, click here.
IP Spotlight 
Here is the best useful tool for patent attorneys and their clients, a patent strategist. This article explains why writing just one patent for a client may not be in their best interest:
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2013/03/25/patent-attorney-services-after-first-to-file-what-to-file/id=37406/
There is also a useful tool http://www.ip-coster.com. It offers free calculation of the IP object registration process in various countries worldwide. It might help when client requests unusual jurisdictions for your practice. The fees seems pretty accurate. They also have software for filing applications.
HI, I had a look at IP-Coster and it looks good but looking closer it miscalculates a lot of countries.
Example: For EP validations it over-charges the translations with about 10x (!) both for Finland and Hungary, probably due to that the programmer does not understand the local patent laws.
Furhermore it only covers 26 out of the 40 European countries connected to the EPO.
A very good alternative is http://www.directvalidation.com which seems very accurate and easy to use. It also shows a lot lower prices.
Hi all! I’ve found IP-Coster very useful and easy. I haven’t found any mistakes in making quotes as calculations seem correct.
Also I had a plenty of questions regarding my case and girls from Customer Support promptly assisted me with the matters. I’m very pleased with this platform and will use it again for sure.